The Stories Behind Andor Season 2’s 14 Emmy® Nominations & 5 Emmy® Award Wins

A galaxy of craft, performance, and world-building detail powers the Rebel drama’s awards surge.

Cassian Andor’s latest mission wasn’t on Ghorman or Coruscant, it was on television’s biggest stage. When the 2025 Emmy® nominations were first announced earlier in the year, Andor season 2 received 14 nods, including the nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. Impressive. From that initial haul of nominations, the series went on to earn a total of 5 Emmys® wins at the 2025 Emmy® Awards. Most Impressive.

Andor

In Andor’s Emmy®-nominated second season, the escalating brutality of the Empire forces the galaxy towards the brink of war as Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Rife with political intrigue and danger, Lucasfilm’s critically-acclaimed thriller series is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which portrayed a heroic band of rebels who steal the plans to the Empire’s weapon of mass destruction: The Death Star, setting the stage for the events of the original 1977 film. Andor sets the clock back five years from the events of Rogue One to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from a disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.

Visit the official Andor series page on StarWars.com for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and more.

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Why Andor Season 2 Is Receiving Emmy® Acclaim

Andor season 2 received 14 Emmy® nominations, winning 5 of them (see the full list of Emmy® nominations and Emmy® Wins on StarWars.com,) but why did the show receive so many plaudits during the 2025 award season?

Intelligent Writing and Memorable Moments

Season 2 progresses Cassian’s journey with tightly written scripts that cover the four years preceding Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, exploring how a rebellion ferments under tyranny and the complexities that are faced amidst the tightening grip of the Empire. Each year is covered in three-episode arcs that continue Cassian’s story while tackling the overarching themes of oppression and personal sacrifice. The consistent high quality of Andor’s second season earned it the nod for “Outstanding Drama Series,” but several episodes stood out, tying everything together (writing, acting, production, etc.) to deliver profound and impactful moments that resonated with awards voters, earning it the nod in 13 other categories and subsequent wins in 5 of them.

Following the official nomination announcement, series creator Tony Gilroy told StarWars.com “I really view all these awards as community property on this show.” He added, “More than anything, I just hope it brings more people to watch the show.” If you’re interested in Gilroy’s creative process for Andor season 2, check out his exclusive interview on StarWars.com.

The Chandrilan Wedding - Episode 3, “Harvest”

A swirl of pleated gowns and mirrored ceilings belies political maneuvering as Mon Mothma’s (Genevieve O'Reilly) daughter, Leida, rejects her mother's pleas to call off the wedding, choosing to embrace Chandrilan tradition and continue with her arranged marriage in “Harvest.” Christophe Nuyens Emmy®-nominated cinematography captures Genevieve O’Reilly’s understated expressions of fear and duty, underscoring the scene’s tragic beauty as Mon Mothma struggles with the personal cost of rebellion, culminating in her cathartic dance sequence to a mix of the “Niamos!” track.

The Ghorman Massacre - Episode 8, “Who Are You?”

What begins as a peaceful rally descends into chaos when Imperial forces open fire on the Ghorman protesters trapped in the Palmo plaza. Janus Metz’s direction, combined with Yan Miles’s kinetic editing (earning the Emmy® win for “Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series”) and Brandon Roberts’ swelling score, heightens the dread as violence erupts in the plaza while Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) and Kyle Soller’s (Syril Karn) somber performances convey the horror and desperation of the situation. This pivotal moment in “Who Are You?” embodies the series’ Emmy®-recognized synergy of craft.

Mon Mothma’s Senate Speech - Episode 9, “Welcome to the Rebellion”

Dan Gilroy’s Emmy®-winning script (“Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series”) for “Welcome to the Rebellion" grants Genevieve O’Reilly a passionate address condemning Imperial brutality in the Galactic Senate. A season-defining moment for Mon Mothma, her call for justice, punctuated by swelling strings and rising senate opposition, honors Gilroy’s script and marks the character's transition from dedicated Republic senator to courageous rebel leader in outright defiance of the Empire. This pivotal moment crystallizes the season’s themes of moral courage and sacrifice. Take a deeper look at Andor’s iconic monologues on StarWars.com

Standout Acting Performances

Tying together the intricate writing and incredible behind-the-scenes work were the outstanding performances from a star-studded ensemble (Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Ben Mendelsohn, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Faye Marsay, and Kathryn Hunter), with breakout performances from the likes of Elizabeth Dulau and Muhannad Bhaier, that elevated the series to create a prestige-drama package. Alan Tudyk and Forest Whitaker, in particular, received award recognition for their acting performances.

Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera

In “I Have Friends Everywhere,” Whitaker plunges Saw into paranoid intensity, showcasing the dangers of extremism in his tension-filled scenes with Wilmon Paak (Muhannad Bhaier). The veteran actor’s explosive energy in this episode earned him the Guest Actor nomination and showcased a more extremist view from the series's spectrum of rebellion. The eccentricities and erratic behaviour that Whitaker brings to the character highlight Saw’s descent into the paranoia he displays in Rogue One  —  connecting his performances nearly a decade apart.

Alan Tudyk as K-2SO

Making his long-awaited return to Star Wars, Tudyk breathes life into K-2SO through his mastery of full-body motion capture and nuanced voice work, balancing dry wit with what Tudyk himself calls a “childish” perspective. Subtle head tilts and vocal inflections serve to humanize the fan-favorite droid, making his Emmy®-recognized performance in “Who Else Knows?” a highlight of the season. Check out Alan Tudyk’s exclusive interview on StarWars.com for more insight on the Emmy® nominee's approach to the character.

Learn more about the cast of Andor Season 2 on StarWars.com.

Expansive World-Building Through Ambitious Set Design

Production designer and executive producer Luke Hull notes that every environment is “born out of story and character and on what’s on the page.” His team built Ghorman’s Palmo plaza, complete with working interiors so cameras could roam uninterrupted, bringing to life a location that fuels multiple nominations. The production teams’ dedication and attention to detail make the world feel alive; the elegant Chandrila gleams with its ceremonial marble, while practical temples on Yavin 4 and the agrarian expanse of Mina-Rau expand the galaxy’s diverse locales. The visual effects team then extended these practical builds into full cityscapes. This extensive behind-the-scenes work earned the show its Emmy® wins for “Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Period Or Fantasy Program (One Hour Or More)” and “Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season Or A Movie”. For a deeper dive behind the scenes, visit the world-building feature on StarWars.com.

Intricate Costumes Provide Visual Storytelling and Cultural Identity

“It was really exciting to create that Chandrilan culture from the ground up,” said Emmy® winner Michael Wilkinson. For the lavish wedding sequence in “Harvest,” he dressed 200 extras, weaving neutral silks with Japanese and Korean influences to suggest ritualized elegance. In contrast, the citizens of Ghorman wear sober textiles inspired by 1940s European tailoring, signaling a society on the brink by subtly hinting at real-world history. Wilkinson and his team's attention to detail not only helped to visualize character arcs, such as Mon Mothma’s internal conflict and Syril Karn’s evolving ideology as he develops an affinity for the Ghorman people, but also earned them the Emmy® win in the “Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes” category. Go “behind the seams” to learn more about Andor season 2’s costume design and be sure to check out Michael Wilkinson’s full breakdown of Chandrilan and Ghorman fashion on StarWars.com.

An Immersive Score and Soundscape Builds Tension

Composer Brandon Roberts collaborated with sound editors David Acord and Margit Pfeiffer to craft Ghorman’s sonic identity. Roberts channeled two unique string instruments, the hammered dulcimer and Hungarian cimbalom, to chart Ghorman’s emotional descent throughout the season. The newly invented Ghor language, a fictional tongue created by Andor dialect coach Marina Tyndall, was also important in defining Ghorman’s aural identity — the language was utilized in the Emmy®-nominated anthem “We Are the Ghor,” the patriotic piece co-written by Tony Gilroy and Nicholas Britell, which features prominently in the lead up to the massacre. On the massacre itself, co-supervising sound editor Margit Pfeiffer described the approach of building up to the conflict through sound design: “You start low and you build in waves.” That crescendo resonates through nominations for Music Composition, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. Learn more about the Sounds of Ghorman on StarWars.com.

Ready for more Rebellion?

Now that the 2025 Emmy® Awards have wrapped up, it’s the perfect time to revisit each episode of the series’ Emmy®-winning second season and appreciate the masterful craft on display as the awards voters have, or explore more behind-the-scenes coverage on StarWars.com. 

In case you’ve missed it, check out the full list of Andor’s Emmy® Awards wins on StarWars.com. For additional insights, read the official interview with series creator Tony Gilroy and keep your awards radar sharp with our Emmy®-Nominated Watch Guide.