E-Junkies: Genevieve O'Reilly of Star Wars' Andor scored first acting job in Singapore

It's always a treat (and a surprise) to hear of Hollywood actors who have a personal connection to Singapore.

Previously, Mortal Kombat's Ludi Lin told us that he recorded his Power Rangers audition tape "in Mediacorp in a tiny little closet with a light".

This time, Andor star Genevieve O'Reilly revealed to us that her role in the 2004 Singapore film Avatar (or known as Cyber Wars in the US) was her first acting gig. Avatar was the first English-language film produced in Singapore and it also stars Lim Kay Siu and Joan Chen.

On the latest episode of E-Junkies, the 45-year-old Irish-Australian actress said: "It was my very first job as an actor really, and I loved Singapore. I stayed there for maybe, three or four months? I remember the food, I remember the markets.

"I remember the people — the crew there were extraordinary... so friendly, so kind."

Genevieve also shared that she has family in Australia, so whenever she flies to Australia, she'll stop in Singapore. However, she has not visited our country in the last three years — no prizes for guessing why.

She added: "I love Singapore. I just feel like it's such a central hub. There is such a hive of activity and yet it's welcoming. It's just lovely to get off and to walk — you have such great open spaces. And I'm looking forward to going back and to feeling that heat. I love that warmth. I love the rain that comes in in the afternoon."

Genevieve stars as Mon Mothma in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars live-action series Andor, but she's no stranger to the Star Wars family.

She had a silent cameo in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith before reprising the role in 2016's Rogue One and voicing her on Star Wars Rebels.

Despite being a familiar face and voice in the franchise, she said that no one recognises her on the streets.

"No, not at all. Not at all," she exclaimed.

"I really get to step into Mon Mothma. I get to wear a wig. I get to wear these beautifully crafted costumes. She is quite statuesque as a character. So I get to step into her. I get to feel like that pillar. But no, at home or on the street, I'm just like you," she added.

For our full interview with the cast of Andor, including Kyle Soller and Denise Gough, check out our latest episode of E-Junkies.

Andor is a live-action Star Wars series that focuses on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and how he becomes the rebel hero that we see in Rogue One. It premieres on Disney+ on Sept 21.

bryanlim@asiaone.com

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.