Star Wars actor Adria Arjona almost played a very different role in the galaxy far, far away. The Andor star was almost cast as Qi’ra in Solo: A Star Wars movie before the role went to Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke.
Speaking about the experience on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor revealed she tested for the part with the film’s original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, alongside Han Solo star Alden Ehrenreich.
“I was with Alden and Phil and Chris were there,” she recalled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life. They put you in a suit and my biggest dream ever was to be in a Star Wars movie. I hadn’t necessarily seen a Latin American woman like myself in Star Wars. It almost felt like I had to break that wall or at least somebody else, another Latin American, should break that wall and I would always root for them. But to me testing, it’s like ‘Oh my God, it’s gonna be me.'”
The part ultimately went to Clarke, which Arjona says she has no hard feelings about. “I just wanted to be in Star Wars and the fact that I had the opportunity to be a leading character in a Star Wars movie was like, ‘Wow this would be insane,'” she continued. “I didn’t think too much of it. Then Emilia got it and she’s probably one of the best actresses out there, she’s amazing.”
It was lucky too that she didn’t end up getting the role as she went on to star as Bix Caleen in Andor. Andor ran for two seasons and is widely considered one of the best Star Wars shows ever made, while Solo got decidedly mixed reviews when it was released.
“I’m so thankful I didn’t get it because then I wouldn’t have been in Andor and Bix is the only character I’ve tattooed on my body,” Arjona added.
The actor is soon making the switch from space to superheroes in the upcoming DC movie Man of Tomorrow. She’ll be starring in an unknown role in the Superman follow-up, but it is widely rumored that she’ll be playing Wonder Woman.
For more from a galaxy far, far away, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars shows and movies.
