The Stories Behind Andor Season 2’s 14 Emmy® Nominations and 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 announced, Andor season 2 earned an impressive 14 nods, spanning everything from Outstanding Drama Series to Sound Mixing, and has since received 5 wins at the 2025 Emmy® Awards.

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 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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Spoiler Warning!

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’s tightly written scripts continue Cassian’s journey and explore the formation of the rebellion amidst the tightening grip of the Empire in the four years preceding Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Each year is covered in three-episode arcs, tackling 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 its nominations 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, Yan Miles’s kinetic editing (earning the Emmy® win for “Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series”), and Brandon Roberts’ swelling score heighten the dread, while Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) and Kyle Soller’s (Syril Karn) 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. The 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

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 elevates the series, tying together the intricate writing and behind-the-scenes work to create a prestige-drama package. Alan Tudyk and Forest Whitaker in particular received award recognition.

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). Whitaker’s explosive energy earned him the Guest Actor nomination, anchoring the show’s spectrum of rebellion and highlighting Saw’s descent into the paranoia he displayed 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 full-body motion capture and nuanced voice work, balancing dry wit with what he calls a “childish” perspective. Subtle head tilts and vocal inflections 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 elegant Chandrila gleams with ceremonial marble, while practical temples on Yavin 4 and the agrarian expanse of Mina-Rau further expand the galaxy. 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, Ghorman citizens wear sober textiles inspired by 1940s European tailoring, signaling a society on the brink. 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, 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?

With the 2025 Emmy® Awards wrapped up, now is the perfect time to revisit every episode, savor the craft on display, and explore more behind-the-scenes coverage on StarWars.com to fully appreciate why Andor season 2 was such a hit this award season. For the full list of Andor’s Emmy® Awards wins, check out this article 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.