While there are dreadlocked characters in the Star Wars galaxy – stand up Quinlan Vos – the army training to be done by Corporal Stordan “Stordie” Tonc (as played by Jordan Stephens, half of rap duo Rizzle Kicks) in Andor apparently required him to lose his dreads, something the Rogue One actor wasn’t prepared to do for a single days filming, as he explains to Zeteo.
“In Rogue One, I’m wearing a helmet the whole time. So I was like, yeah I’ve got locks but who cares, just put me in a helmet [again],” he began.
“‘Well, we’re going to shoot scenes of the army training’,” he claimed he was then told in response by an unknown person connected to the series’ production. “‘We’re going to be training so we’re going to need you in traditional army attire, including your hair. And if you have locks, I don’t think it’d be realistic’.”
“I was like, you’re talking about an intergalactic space war with giant slugs and swords made of light, and you’re worried about a soldier having dreadlocks?” he concluded. “On principal… the cognitive dissonance was too difficult to handle. The idea that someone would watch and say ‘oh, well he’s got dreadlocks so it’s obviously not real’… what is going on? It’s absolutely insane.”
For more behind the scenes knowledge from Rogue One, be sure to grab your tickets for Thank The Maker: Rogue One, which takes place this coming weekend at St. Swithuns School in Winchester.