Warning! SPOILERS for Andor episode 7.Genevieve O’Reilly's turn as Mon Mothma in Mon Mothma scenes were filmed for Revenge of the Sith—most of which centered around her, Bail Organa, and Pé Amidala discussing the worsening conditions in the Galactic Senate. Ultimately, almost all of O’Reilly’s original scenes were cut from Revenge of the Sith. But after 17 years, O’Reilly has gotten the chance of a lifetime to come back and flesh out the character, showing what she is made of. Her revelatory performance proves that George Lucas clearly recognized how Mon Mothma had the potential to be a pivotal and popular figure in Star Wars lore and that O'Reilly was the perfect candidate for the job.
Genevieve O’Reilly takes full advantage of her chance to shine in Andor episode 7, proving that Lucas had cast the perfect actress to bring Mon Mothma to life all those years ago. While her original scene in Revenge of the Sith was of her and some other senators making hushed plans behind closed doors, Andor takes the opposite approach by including fake smiles and false pretenses in full view of the enemy. Almost none of what Mothma does in Andor is what it seems—which makes it all the more thrilling to watch and decipher her actions. This highlights the extent of O'Reilly's acting abilities and George Lucas' earlier recognition of her talents.
Genevieve O'Reilly Is Making Mon Mothma So Much Better In Andor
O'Reilly's performance is not only rewarding Lucas' earlier faith, but is also improving a previously peripheral Star Wars character. Andor episode 7 continues to show Star Wars creator George Lucas laid earlier.
Why Did Lucas Cut Mon Mothma From Revenge Of The Sith?
It’s now clear that O’Reilly has been the perfect actress to play young Mon Mothma all along. But it also makes sense why she was cut from her original debut back in 2005. Ultimately, the movie’s political aspects needed to be shaved down considerably in order to make the film more palatable in the theater. Despite not making it back then, Andor revisits O’Reilly’s deleted scenes and gives her the chance to show the character in a new light.
Aside from her live-action appearances in Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One, and Andor, O’Reilly has also voice-acted for the cameos, her appearance in Andor is—by far—the most demanding role of the character seen yet. Regardless of what is in store for Mon Mothma in the rest of the Andor, it’s clear that George Lucas made an excellent casting choice all those years ago.
New episodes of Andor release on Wednesdays on Disney+.
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