‘All I could have hoped for’: Andor star Genevieve O’Reilly reveals why Mother Mothma’s famous speech in the Star Wars show meant so much to her

Andor Season 2 section 9 finally see Mon Mothma’s infamous Senat’s speech brought to life
Genevieve O’Reilly said she was “so nervous” over doing justice to the iconic moment
Fans have been waiting years for it to be depicted in a live-action or animated project

Full spoilers immediately follow for Andor Season 2, up to and including section 9.

Genevieve O’Reilly has revealed why she was “so nervous” by finally delivering Mon Mona’s famous Senate’s speech in a Star Wars project.

Before Andor Season 2 was released in late April, I sat down with O’Reilly to discuss the scene that is not only a landmark moment for the Chandrilan senator, but also for O’Reilly.

O’REILLY IS CONTAINTED TO MAKE MON MONTHMA I Andor On Disney+but she has actually played the grade in several projects since the 2005s Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Through her 20-year-old (and counting!) Career as part of Lucasfilm’s legendary sci-fi franchise, O’Reilly has never had the opportunity to bring her character’s hugely significant speech to life before. However, it has changed now. To the delight of Star Wars fans, who have waited years at this moment, Mon Mothma eventually goes on his word -spoken Soapbox to condemn the emperor Palpatine to his autocratic rule of the iconic galaxy far, far away.

Benjamin Brats Bail Organa is the only senator who agrees with Mon Mothma’s attitude towards the Empire (Image Credit: LucasFilm/Disney+)

It is a huge central moment for Mon Mothma, Nascent Rebel Alliance and Galaxy as a whole.

While Mon Mothma has been part of Luthen’s rapidly evolving, galaxy rebellion for years at this time, she has largely operated in the shadows to keep herself and her family safe against the curious eyes of the galactic empire.

All of this is thrown out of the window in this season’s ninth episode. The emotionally devastating events in season 2 section 8 that depicted Ghorman -Massacre in all its raising glory – an event Andor Season 2 has laid the foundation since its first episode – Mon Mothma decides to take a public position against the emperor and those who follow his any whim.

Mon Mothma’s speech has been 20 years in the creation of Genevieve O’Reilly (Image Credit: LucasFilm/Disney+)

By tackling the Senate in one of the best Disney+ Shows’ latest episodes, Mon Mothma condemns not only Palpatine for the slaughter of innocent and largely peaceful protesters at Ghorman, but directly rejects his tyrannical leadership.

Wildly by her colleagues (except for the bail organ who nevertheless supports her silently) and knows that the empire is coming for her, Mon Monthma quickly flees on stage.

With the help of Cassian Andor, who has been sent by Luthen Rael to get her to safety, Mothma escapes to Coruscant. Off-screen, she is transferred to the crew of the ghost, alias the hero of Star Wars: RebelsAt In Season 3 Section 18, entitled ‘Secret Cargo’, of the animated program. A couple Rebels Characters appear in another live-action series Star Wars: AhsokaAlso, as further emphasizes the connective tissue between several Lucas film productions.

Now we know who supplies Mon Monthma to the crew of The Ghost in Rebels’ ‘Secret Cargo’ -Pisode (Image Credit: LucasFilm/Disney+)

But I’ll take off. Andor Has built against this significant Mon Mothma moment, ever since we were reinstated to her in mid-2022. O’Reilly has also had ambitions to give this speech for almost two decades, so how did it finally feel to deliver it in one of 2025’s new Star Wars shows?

“The opportunity to hold this speech as well as the lead up to it was all I could have hoped for,” replied O’Reilly.

“I was so nervous that because it previously existed in cannon we might not get to visit it. But what [showrunner] Tony [Gilroy] did, which was so smart is to cut a space to allow us to see that moment.

I was so nervous that … we might not get a visit
Genevieve O’Reilly

“I think it makes sense of everything about her,” continued O’Reilly, “and not just her. It makes sense of our show. If victim is at the expense of everyone, one must understand and be at peace with what she has to sacrifice.

“I also think it’s important to mention that a voice can be powerful. It’s not about the fact that we pick up weapons, but maybe a voice can move things, and that speaks to all that is why Mothma is valuable to the rebellion.”

Andor season 2 episodes 1 to 9 is now out on Disney+. The last three chapters will be issued on May 13 (USA) and May 14 (UK and Australia).