Andor‘s Adria Arjona was cast immediately after her chemistry read with Diego Luna

[This post contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Andor.]

This week saw the premiere of Andor, the latest entrant in the Star Wars universe. It’s a prequel focused on Diego Luna’s titular character, who was introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. While we know how his story ends, the series offers up a whole new cast of characters with their own perspectives on the Empire and a stellar Nicholas Britell score to tide TV fans over until the next season of Succession comes out.

One of those people who was a part of Cassian Andor’s life before that fateful mission is Bix Caleen, played by Adria Arjona. She’s a key part of how he becomes a freedom fighter, connecting him with Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), who is mobilizing The Rebel Alliance. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Arjona shares that she landed the part immediately after her chemistry read with Luna, with showrunner Tony Gilroy being sold on the pairing after just 10 minutes.

“We did one scene together, and Tony just stood up and was like, ‘Diego, meet your co-star. Adria, meet your co-star,’” she remembers. “And I was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ And Tony was like, ‘Welcome to Star Wars.’ And then my heart just dropped.”

Chemistry was particularly crucial for this role. The plot is put in motion after Bix’s new boyfriend Timm sells out Cassian to the corporate security team hunting him in a fit of jealousy. (“Then again, is it possible not to fall into the trap of flirting with Diego Luna, those big sad eyes and all?” writes The A.V. Club’s reviewer Tom Philip.)

“Cassian and Bix have been friends for so many years, from childhood, so trust has been broken and then rebuilt and broken and then rebuilt,” Arjona tells The A.V. Club. “Their dynamic to me was really fascinating, and one that I really had so much fun exploring.”

Though the first batch of Andor episodes ends with Cassian and Luthen fleeing Ferrix, it’s hopefully not the last we’ve seen of Bix, because even a gritty thriller has room for a fun will-they-or-won’t-they relationship.