Beau Willimon Talks ‘Andor’ Season 2, ‘Severance’ & His Creative Journey in Hollywood

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Beau Willimon, the mastermind behind “House of Cards” and scriptwriter for “Andor,” expressed great pride in the second season of the “Star Wars” series on Disney+. In an appearance at Canneseries, a prominent industry event, Willimon likened working on the show to being a session musician contributing to someone else’s album, acknowledging his esteemed creative collaborator and the series creator, Tony Gilroy, for their joint efforts.

Tony assisted me on ‘House of Cards’ for several seasons in the role of consulting producer, offering script feedback. Over time, he evolved into a dear friend and guide,” he reminisced. “During the development phase of ‘Andor,’ he invited me to pen a few episodes. Initially, I thought it was a jest because I’m not deeply versed in Star Wars lore, but rather an ardent fan. He explained, ‘ignorance can be beneficial as I aim to narrate a tale about humanity and maturity.’

Although he had always penned shows that he himself had developed, Willimon joined forces with Tony Gilroy’s sibling, Dan Gilroy, and managed to outline the entirety of the show’s first season within just six days.

He expressed that time was incredibly enjoyable for him. For once, he didn’t shoulder the responsibilities typical of a showrunner. Instead, his role was simply that of a writer, submitting scripts to his friend Tony Gilroy. As long as Tony approved, everything was fine. The writer noted that the process was quite similar for season 2, which debuted on Disney+ this month. He is very pleased with the second season.

Besides working on another highly-acclaimed series this year, Willimon joined Apple TV+’s popular psychological drama “Severance” as an executive producer for Season 2. Speaking about the project, he mentioned that it’s quite distinct from his usual work but felt that the team required some additional assistance.

Willimon shared that he joined to support the production aspect along with the writers. It was an extraordinary journey as there’s nothing quite like this show. I find it intriguing to work on projects where I’m not already familiar with the process. With ‘Severance,’ it was a richly crafted world and tone that I wanted to help bring to life for the second season. Just like everyone else, I was committed to serving the story.

The executive highlighted that he truly enjoys creating things and takes pleasure in aiding others in bringing their ideas to life. At times, he finds himself in a position to provide some distance and perspective which can be advantageous, or simply assist on a functional level. He doesn’t have the responsibility of nurturing something solely as his own creation; instead, he focuses on helping someone else nurture theirs.

The creative gap here is actually the complete opposite of Beau Willimon’s role as the showrunner for the first four seasons of Netflix’s groundbreaking political drama “House of Cards.” In another part of our chat, the writer reminisced about the project’s early stages, admitting that he initially showed little enthusiasm for developing a political series based on his acclaimed political play, “Farragut North.” However, it was David Fincher’s involvement that ultimately convinced him to jump on board.

The opportunity to interact with the director of “Se7en” prompted the playwright to explore the namesake British program that served as the basis for Netflix’s primary series. Upon viewing the British series, ideas for its adaptation began to flow, and it turned out that David and I shared similar visions for the show’s development.

Discussing the initial ideas behind Kevin Spacey’s character, Frank Underwood, showrunner Beau Willimon pointed to the controversial opening scene as a key inspiration. In this scene, the politician brutally kills a dog by strangling it. “Spacey’s character makes an entrance reminiscent of a movie star, delivering his first monologue directly to the audience. This isn’t about politics, but about something deeper – the character’s connection to pain and his willingness to do what is hard. The act of putting the dog out of its misery could be seen as both cruel and compassionate, and this duality is intriguing. It’s from such a simple starting point that we begin to build a complex character.

He noted that even the most skilled writers seldom begin with complexity; instead, they usually start with everyday, ordinary ideas. It’s through the process of organizing and layering these simple concepts that they aim to create something intricate and sophisticated.

In his observations about collaborating with prominent actors in shows like “House of Cards”, Willimon stated that it’s increasingly frequent for productions to be tied to talent, implying that producers and creative leads often need to work side by side with actors when making crucial decisions for the projects. “Talent is brought on board before the projects are even pitched. The level of input and involvement expected from these actors depends on their star power. I enjoy working with actors and find this aspect of the process enjoyable as well.

A less satisfying aspect of his profession might be the challenges faced during the initial phase as an author, and the successful TV showrunner advised aspiring artists in attendance: “In the beginning, you’re brimming with energy and a certain desperation, a strong desire to express yourself to the world. Avoid channeling that enthusiasm into careerist ambitions. Instead, it’s your only chance to be a truly artistic soul – when nobody is watching. Embrace this period, as it can work to your advantage.

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2025-04-25 20:47