Why did Andor season 2 cast Benjamin Bratt as Bail Organa instead of Jimmy Smits?

Andor season 2 takes viewers deeper into the early days of the Rebellion, tracing the path of Cassian Andor as he inches closer to becoming a pivotal figure in the fight against the Empire. Played by Diego Luna, Cassian’s journey is set against the backdrop of a galaxy on the brink, in a series created by Tony Gilroy. This chapter serves as a narrative bridge to the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Andor season 2 launched on April 22, 2025, on Disney+, with new episodes arriving weekly and wrapping up on May 13, 2025. It brings back familiar characters like Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael while introducing new players who add further depth to the political and resistance dynamics unfolding across the galaxy.

Among these characters is Senator Bail Organa, a key figure in the Star Wars universe and the adoptive father of Princess Leia. In Andor Season 2, Bail is portrayed by Benjamin Bratt, taking over the role previously held by Jimmy Smits. The switch hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans, many of whom associate Smits closely with the character.

So why the change? Smits was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with another TV project. Despite the production team's efforts to bring him back, the timing didn’t align. As a result, the role was recast, and Benjamin Bratt was brought on to continue Bail’s story in Andor season 2.

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Why Bail Organa was recast in Andor season 2

Benjamin Bratt debuts as Bail Organa in Andor season 2, stepping into the role during a brief Senate appearance. (Image via Disney+)

According to an interview with Collider published on April 30, 2025, series creator Tony Gilroy shared that recasting legacy characters like Bail Organa can be more complicated than it seems. It often comes down to logistics, things like scheduling conflicts, contract issues, and timing. In this case, Jimmy Smits was tied up with another television project that made it impossible to return as Bail.

"Bringing back the legacy characters is always a complicated process between money and scheduling and territory and everything else. Obviously, in a perfect world, he would come back. They just couldn't put it together. He was doing a television series that was peaking at that point in time, and it just couldn't work out. Finally, we have to have him because we have to. You have to have him. Ben was such a brilliant get as a replacement."

While the casting may have changed, the significance of the character remains intact. Bail Organa is more than just a familiar name, he’s a foundational piece in the political resistance to the Empire. First introduced in Attack of the Clones and portrayed by Smits in several Star Wars entries, Bail was a close ally to Padmé Amidala and Mon Mothma.

He married Queen Breha of Alderaan, taking on her royal title and giving up his own surname. When Padmé died after giving birth to twins, Bail and Breha adopted Leia, raising her to follow in their footsteps as a leader.

In Andor season 2, Bail appears briefly in episode 6, What a Festive Evening, set three years before A New Hope. His scene supports Mon Mothma’s work in the Senate and signals growing coordination among those quietly resisting the Empire. Though brief, his presence plays a role in shaping the early threads of the Rebellion.

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Where Andor season 2 is heading?

Mon Mothma and allies navigate political tensions in Andor season 2, as the Senate becomes a silent battleground for rebellion. (Image via Disney+)

Andor season 2 continues Cassian Andor’s evolution from a man surviving in the shadows to someone taking real risks for a cause he’s learning to believe in. The story picks up in BBY 3 and spans multiple fronts, political, military, and personal.

Episodes 4 to 6, Ever Been to Ghorman?, I Have Friends Everywhere, and What a Festive Evening, take viewers to Ghorman, a planet already steeped in unrest. Cassian, now undercover as fashion designer Varian Skye, infiltrates the local resistance movement. On the other side, Syril Karn quietly works for the Empire while posing as a rebel sympathizer, feeding intelligence back to the ISB.

Vel Sartha and Cinta Kaz also return, their mission interrupted by personal loss when a shootout leads to Cinta’s death. Meanwhile, Bix Caleen completes a mission that helps her take back some control after the trauma she endured in season 1. On Coruscant, Mon Mothma continues her political maneuvers while Luthen Rael and Kleya Marki take dangerous risks to keep their operations secret.

Through all of these threads, Andor season 2 continues to build toward Rogue One, layering moments of tension, sacrifice, and growing solidarity across the galaxy. The season finale is set to air on May 13, 2025, on Disney+.