Tony Gilroy isn't crossing the picket line for Andor after all
Tony Gilroy's participation in the production of Andor's next season has been greatly exaggerated
Considering how many people talk about Andor as not just great Star Wars but as great, subversive political art, it was disappointing to hear production on the series’ second season was continuing throughout the writers’ strike. But, to paraphrase another Star Wars show, this is not the way. Thankfully, after a weekend of rumors, showrunner Tony Gilroy set the record straight and announced that he discontinued all writing and all non-writing duties on the series.
“I discontinued all writing and writing-related work on Andor prior to midnight, May 1. After being briefed on the Saturday showrunner meeting, I informed Chris Keyser at the WGA on Sunday morning that I would also be ceasing all non-writing producing functions,” Gilroy said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Last week, Variety reported that Gilroy would continue on Andor’s next season in a producer capacity. However, as Deli Boys writer Abdullah Saeed noted, “this is scabbing.”
“This is scabbing,” Saeed posted on Instagram. “There’s no way a writer/producer can ‘finish’ writing and begin solely producing. And if the scripts truly are finished, let’s see ’em. If there’s one word different in the finished product, kick Tony Gilroy out of the WGA. One of the biggest writers in Hollywood could stand with his union and halt production on his hit show, thereby by forcing a major studio to consider WGA demands a little harder. Instead, he has chosen to be a SCAB! We all want Andor s2, but not at the cost of fairness to writers. #wgastrong”
Last week The Hollywood Reporter published a letter from Disney to showrunners in hopes of union-busting them back to set. However, the rules “prohibit hyphenates (members who are employed in dual capacities) from performing any writing services” during a work stoppage.
Andor isn’t the only major show losing its writer showrunners to the strike. Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power recently announced that co-showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay would not be staying in Middle-earth as long as the strike continues. Strangely enough, the studios could very easily stop this by paying writers what they’re owed and offering fair contracts to the people who make their most valuable products.