In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Andor star Denise Gough recalled the cancellation of the Game of Thrones spinoff, Bloodmoon, that she was supposed to star in before she landed a role in the Star Wars universe.
“For me, everything happens for a reason and everything happens the way it’s supposed to. When our pilot episode wasn’t chosen, when the production didn’t go forward, I didn’t feel devastated.” said the Irish actress.
The cancellation led Gough to a role that she can more easily relate to, and the previous loss stopped being an actual loss.
She continued, “Because, obviously, it wasn’t destined to happen. So, I went back home, to the theater, and then I was contacted by, if possible, an even bigger franchise. I found a role that is closer to those I usually play.”
Originally announced in 2018, Bloodmoon was supposed to be the first Game of Thrones spin-off after the main series finished its eighth-season run. The show was supposed to take place 8,000 years before Game of Thrones, during the Age of Heroes. Naomi Watts, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Naomi Ackie were in talks to headline the show.
Bloodmoon reportedly has a budget of between $30 million and $35 million to shoot, but despite the huge allocation, it was cancelled by HBO in 2019 because it lacked the “depth and richness” of the original series. Also Read: George R.R. Martin Reveals Why First Game of Thrones Prequel was Cancelled
With the abolishment of the first spinoff, HBO continued the Game of Thrones universe with a prequel that aired in August, House of the Dragon, which struck ceiling ratings this year.
In Andor, we saw Gough’s character, Dedra Moore, play a big role in the bureaucratic side of the Empire. Season 1 heavily featured the tenacious intuition and drive of her character.
All episodes of Andor season 1 are available on Disney+.
