Adria Arjona has confirmed that she was a top contender for the role of Qi’ra in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, a role that eventually went to Emilia Clarke. During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actress detailed the high-stakes audition process that brought her to the brink of joining the franchise years before she was eventually cast as Bix Caleen in Andor.
Arjona’s journey toward the galaxy far, far away involved a rigorous screen test alongside lead actor Alden Ehrenreich. At the time, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were still attached to the project. Arjona recalled the experience as one filled with significant personal and professional weight, noting that she felt an intense pressure to “break the wall” for Latin American women within the Star Wars universe. Despite the intensity of the process, the role of Han Solo’s childhood friend and eventual Crimson Dawn lieutenant went to Clarke.
From Rejection to Bix Caleen
While losing a major blockbuster role can be a setback, Arjona has expressed a retrospective gratitude for how the casting unfolded. She suggested that while Qi’ra was a compelling character, the timing of the rejection eventually allowed her to be available for Andor, which many critics and fans consider the most grounded and complex live-action entry in the Star Wars franchise.
The contrast between her Solo experience and her Andor casting is stark. While the former involved a lengthy, high-pressure cycle of tests, her entry into the role of Bix Caleen was remarkably swift. Showrunner Tony Gilroy reportedly cast Arjona after an audition that lasted only about eight minutes. Gilroy’s vision for the series, which serves as a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, focused on a gritty, character-driven narrative where Arjona’s performance as a pragmatic mechanic and Rebel sympathizer became a central pillar.
Arjona has described Bix Caleen as a more fitting role for her career trajectory, allowing for a deep exploration of a character over two seasons of television. As Andor approaches its final season, the actress’s “near-miss” with Solo serves as a notable example of how a major franchise rejection can lead to a more definitive professional fit later on.
