‘It’s Just A Prop!’ Andor Star Recounts Real-Life Hassle For Bringing Their Blaster Through Airport Security

Summary

Star Wars actor Diego Luna brings a prop home and triggers airport security check.
Luna shared his funny yet scary experience at London’s Heathrow Airport on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Props like blasters enhance realism but can create real-life security concerns.

Some props are best left on set and one celebrity has to learn this the hard way. A Star Wars actor opted to bring home his prop from the Andor set and it wasn’t an easy experience.

Movies and TV shows include props to enhance realism and immersion in the story. Props are physical objects that help support the story and reflect the character’s identity. Among the popular props in the Star Wars universe are lightsabers, blasters, hologram projectors, holocrons, and Stormtrooper and Mandalorian helmets. One of the Star Wars actors decided to bring their prop home as a remembrance after filming the final season of Andor. However, they didn’t expect it could be subject to the airport’s tight security checks.

Andor Showrunner Says Star Wars Horror Project Is On The Way

Tony Gilroy claims that Lucasfilm is out there working on some kind of horror project in the Star Wars universe.

Diego Luna, who plays the titular character Cassian Andor, a thief-turned-rebel in the Andor series, recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He shared a hilarious yet scary experience at London’s Heathrow Airport after security agents stopped him due to his blaster. The item was a gift he received from the wrap party the night before his flight. Luna said he brought it home because it was “so realistic.” “It’s so like meticulously like real, real from a galaxy far, far away,” he added. However, when the security saw the item in his luggage, it got their attention, and the event that followed was both funny and frightening. Luna said:

The guys unwrapped the [blaster] and they were like, ‘Whoa, what is that!? And I was trying to grab it to say, ‘No, it’s just a prop!’ And everyone [went], ‘No, no, no! Don’t touch it!

Luna said one security personnel recognized him, but due to his role in Narcos and not Star Wars. In Narcos: Mexico, which aired from 2018 to 2021, he portrayed Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, an ambitious and calculating drug trafficker. He is charming but ruthless. Luna said, “It was a mess.” To make matters worse, he had a hangover from the party he attended the night before and looked “kind of like broken.” He showed the security agents his phone and his photos from the set using the blaster. The security personnel eventually got it because there were also toys like it and had him sign a letter. He was able to take the blaster during his flight but kept it in his closet.

Luna’s story was both funny and a bit scary. It was somewhat hilarious because the blaster was just a prop, but it sparked real-life security concerns. It was amusing how he re-enacted the security agents’ reactions when they saw the blaster, and he somewhat dismissed their concern by trying to hold the item and show it to them. However, everyone appeared scared that they didn’t want him to have it. What made it even more hilarious was the other agent recognizing him for his role as a drug trafficker in Narcos and Luna admitting he looked “kind of like broken” because he had a hangover from the party he attended prior to his flight.

At the same time, triggering a security concern in an airport is a bit scary. One will get attention, which can be uncomfortable. However, it only showed that the security agents were doing their job well. Good thing that Luna remained calm and composed. He was still able to think straight despite his hangover and was able to board the flight with his blaster from Andor. We can’t blame Luna for taking the item home because it was great memorabilia from Andor. Fans will soon see Luna using a blaster when Andor returns for its second and final season.

Andor Season 2 will premiere on Disney Plus at 9 p.m. ET on April 22.