Per Diego Luna, the Rogue One audition process gave hush-hush a new meaning

Take it from Diego Luna: signing on for a place in the Star Wars extended universe isn’t a job fit for a Chatty Cathy. In a new conversation with fellow Star Wars franchise star Hayden Christensen for Variety’s annual Actors on Actors series, Luna muses on auditioning for the Rogue One role that would initially blossom into the lead of Andor, one of Disney+’s most well-received Star Wars series’ yet; a process Luna now remembers as being one of the most mysterious, heavily-guarded of his career.

“It was the first time such secrecy happened around anything I was going to be part of,” Luna recalls. “I was asked by my agent to meet someone for something that couldn’t be said on the phone. I went into a meeting in a restaurant that was completely empty. There was a guy sitting in the corner with a computer open, and this was Gareth [Edwards], the director. I sat down with him, and it was just us for four hours.”

As he continues to explain to Christensen, Luna had no real concept that he was even being considered for a Star Wars role until Edwards was already telling him how much he wanted Luna to play Cassian Andor. Even more surprising to Luna than the request was Edwards’ interest in his previous work, specifically the 2001 Alfonso Cuarón film Y Tu Mamá También.

“I said to [Edwards], ‘But I don’t see myself here. I love these films, but how do I fit here? No one has my accent. I’ve never thought this could be possible,’” Luna recalls. “He basically said, ‘Since I saw Y Tu Mamá También, I thought you could be great for a role like this. I want that kind of tone in the film. I want that realism, that feeling that it’s everyday life.’ I never thought that a film like Y Tu Mamá También would get me the chance to be in the world of Star Wars.” Isn’t that always the way?