Star Wars actor Jordan Stephens, known for his role as Corporal Tonc in "Rogue One," revealed he declined an offer to reprise his character in the Disney+ series "Andor" due to a request to cut off his dreadlocks.
Stephens, who had been growing his dreadlocks for seven years, stated he was informed that his hairstyle would not be considered "realistic" for scenes involving army training. He recounted an exchange where he pointed out the inherent unreality of the Star Wars universe, featuring "giant slugs and swords made of light," questioning the focus on his hair's realism.
According to Stephens, he was told that his dreadlocks would be unsuitable for "traditional army attire" during training sequences. He also noted that the proposed compensation for his appearance was minimal.
Despite his arguments, including the fact that his character wore a helmet in "Rogue One," the production insisted on the hairstyle change. Stephens ultimately decided against returning for the "Andor" series, a show widely praised as one of the franchise's strongest entries.
The actor also highlighted the inconsistency, pointing to Jedi Master Quinlan Vos from "The Clone Wars" series, who sports dreadlocks and is a prominent character within the Star Wars canon.