MOVIE NEWS – Fans of Star Wars were taken by surprise in the newest episodes of Andor Season 2, when it became clear that Bail Organa was no longer played by Jimmy Smits. First mentioned in the 1977 original film as Leia Organa’s adoptive father, the character first appeared onscreen in 2002’s Attack of the Clones with Smits in the role. He reprised it in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, where he helped lead characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda flee the fall of the Republic. Since Andor serves as a prequel to Rogue One—in which Smits also played Bail—it was widely assumed he’d return. Instead, fans were met with a new face: Benjamin Bratt now embodies the iconic senator.

Though Jimmy Smits didn’t voice the character in animated shows like Rebels or Tales of the Jedi, he had consistently appeared in live-action productions, including Rogue One and 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. That made this change all the more jarring—especially as many viewers had just seen Smits again in the theatrical re-release of Revenge of the Sith, which raked in a strong $25.2 million. Naturally, this sparked fresh questions: why didn’t Smits come back for Season 2 of Andor?

Why Did Andor Replace Bail Organa at All?

As of now, no official reason has been given. While Benjamin Bratt was announced as part of the cast back in 2023, Lucasfilm never publicly stated he’d be playing Bail Organa. The only real indication came when the first episodes aired and reviewers started hinting that a legacy character had been recast. Had the studio been upfront about the change, the reaction might’ve been less intense.

Fans have speculated that the switch may be due to a scheduling conflict. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Tony Gilroy explained: “Legacy characters are difficult to bring back. They’re extremely expensive, and scheduling is often impossible. There were even people we wanted in the Yavin sequence—characters from Rogue One—but we couldn’t get them.”

During the filming of Andor Season 2, which took place from November 2022 to July 2023, Jimmy Smits was tied up with the series East New York, which aired from October 2022 through May 2023. While production on Andor resumed in January 2024 after the SAG-AFTRA strike, Bratt had already shot his scenes. Unlike what happened in Daredevil: Born Again—where Sandrine Holt was swapped out for Ayelet Zurer and scenes were reshot—there was no indication that Gilroy would scrap Bratt’s work. In fact, Bratt’s version of Bail Organa seems set to grow in importance as Andor moves toward the events of Rogue One.

The Star Wars Recasting Dilemma

This situation touches on a broader issue that has long haunted Star Wars: the question of recasting. Until the early 2000s, it was common for roles to change hands with little fuss. Think of James Bond—four actors from 1962 to 2022—or Batman, who’s been played by three different men in a single decade. But in today’s era of shared cinematic universes and tight continuity, audiences are far more sensitive to such changes.

Star Wars has had a mixed history with recasting. Ewan McGregor taking over from Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi was a resounding success—so much so that he headlined his own series. Similarly, Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover portrayed young Han Solo and Lando Calrissian in Solo, and fans were relatively accepting. But Lucasfilm has proven far less willing to recast characters who appear during the original timeline of the films.

Instead, they’ve leaned on digital trickery—with mixed results. De-aged Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett was met with criticism: stiff facial expressions, robotic delivery, and a general sense of lifelessness. For many, a well-cast human actor—like Sebastian Stan, long fan-cast as Luke—would’ve been far less jarring. After all, real actors bring emotional depth and flexibility that deepfakes still can’t replicate.

Ultimately, Gilroy and Lucasfilm made a practical choice. While some fans might be momentarily thrown off by the change, it doesn’t diminish the quality of Andor. If anything, Benjamin Bratt’s addition is a net positive—bringing fresh energy and proven talent into the galaxy far, far away. As one fan noted, seeing Smits show up in Rogue One after Bratt’s portrayal might just be an amusing continuity blip. But it’s far from a deal-breaker.

source: 3djuegos