Adria Arjona was key to Andor's story as Bix Caleen across both seasons of the Disney+ series. The character became an increasingly important part of the Rebellion, while her relationship with Cassian Andor was similarly crucial. Now, the actress has confirmed that she came close to landing another major Star Wars role several years earlier.
Arjona had previously hinted that her opportunity to join the franchise didn't begin with Andor. However, she's never revealed which character she auditioned to play.
That changed during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast when Arjona was asked whether she'd been in the running to portray Qi'ra in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story. She confirmed that she had auditioned for the role opposite Alden Ehrenreich, who played the young Han Solo, with the movie's initial directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, also present.
Arjona recalled just how significant the audition was for her, explaining that appearing in a Star Wars movie had been a lifelong dream.
"I guess I’m confessing this now. I was with Alden [Ehrenreich]. Phil [Lord] and Chris [Miller] were there," she recalled. "I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous in my life. They put you in a suit, and my biggest dream ever was to be in a Star Wars movie."
For Arjona, potentially seeing someone like herself in a Galaxy Far, Far Away also held a lot of meaning. "I hadn’t necessarily seen a Latin American woman like myself be in Star Wars. It almost felt like I had to break that wall, or at least somebody else or another Latin American should break that wall, and I would always root for them."
"I never thought about the sequels or anything. It was more the emotional attachment of 'will I ever be in Star Wars?' I just wanted to be in Star Wars, and the fact that I had that opportunity to be a leading character in a Star Wars movie was like, 'Wow. This would be insane.'"
"And then Emilia [Clarke] got it, and she’s probably one of the best actresses out there," The Onslaught star added. "I’m so thankful I didn’t get it. I wouldn’t have been in Andor, and Bix is the only character I have tattooed on my body."
Solo: A Star Wars Story arrived in theaters in 2018, meaning Arjona could have made her franchise debut four years before Andor premiered on Disney+ in 2022. A Solo sequel was tentatively planned, potentially opening the door for Qi'ra to appear across multiple movies. Those plans were ultimately scrapped after the film underperformed at the box office.
Being linked to what many feel is Disney's best Star Wars project likely did Arjona's career more favours than a starring role in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Early plans called for Andor to run for five twelve-episode seasons, though that was ultimately scaled back to just two. Still, it more than made its mark.
You can hear more from Arjona in the player below.