Jordan Stephens turns down Andor return after being asked to cut dreadlocks
Jordan Stephens says he rejected a return to Star Wars: Andor after being asked to cut his dreadlocks for a ‘realistic’ look.
The British rapper and actor, best known as one half of Rizzle Kicks, previously played Corporal Tonc in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016.
Stephens says he had worn dreadlocks for seven years and found the request odd, especially since his earlier Star Wars appearance was mostly hidden under a helmet.
What happened
Jordan Stephens says he rejected an offer to return to the Star Wars universe. The reporting in question concerns a possible role in Andor, the prequel series that connects to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The available coverage identifies Stephens as the actor who previously played Corporal Stordan Tonc in Rogue One, though some summaries shorten the name to Corporal Tonc.
Stephens says he was asked to cut off his dreadlocks because his appearance would otherwise not look ‘realistic’ enough. According to the sources provided, he responded by pointing out that Star Wars itself is not a realistic franchise. The cited reporting also says he got the impression the production wanted him for scenes involving military training and a traditional army uniform, with his hair visible.
The actor and musician also says he had worn dreadlocks for seven years at the time. Stephens says his role in Rogue One was largely concealed under a helmet, meaning his hair was not visible there. That detail matters because his earlier Star Wars appearance was a small role as a Rebel Alliance soldier rather than a prominent on-screen hairstyle moment.
Based on the information available, only Stephens’ own account has been confirmed. It has not been independently established whether the Andor offer was formal, or whether the hair request came directly from production. It is also not confirmed which scenes he would have played, or whether this was a contractual condition rather than an informal casting request.
Timeline
2016 — Jordan Stephens appears in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Rebel Alliance soldier Corporal Stordan Tonc, a role that was reportedly mostly performed under a helmet.
After 2016 — Stephens says he was approached about returning to Andor, the series that serves as a prequel to Rogue One.
During the Andor approach — According to Stephens, he was asked to cut his dreadlocks for a more ‘realistic’ look, even though he had already worn them for seven years.
During the same talks — Stephens says he was told the production wanted scenes involving army training and traditional military clothing, with his hair visible.
Afterwards — Stephens says he turned down the Andor return and argued that Star Wars is not a realistic franchise.
Background
Jordan Stephens is also known as a member of the British rap duo Rizzle Kicks. His name previously entered the Star Wars universe through Rogue One, where he played Corporal Stordan Tonc. In the available reporting, Stephens is described as one of the actors who may have been considered for a return in Andor, a series set in the same era leading up to the 2016 film.
Andor is a Disney+ series and is explicitly linked to Rogue One in the supplied sources. The reporting frames Stephens’ possible return as an extension of his earlier role, but gives no details about a confirmed casting, a shoot date, or a specific episode. It also does not say that other Rogue One actors were approached in the same way, though the source framing suggests multiple returning characters were considered for Andor.
The core of the story remains Stephens’ claim that he walked away because of the hair request. The sources mentioned in the supplied material, including IGN, Digital Spy, Daily Mail and Contactmusic, all reduce it to the same basic point: Stephens previously appeared in Rogue One, was later approached for Andor, and found the request to cut his dreadlocks illogical in a franchise known for aliens, lightsabers and science-fiction elements.
Sources
The facts in this article are based on reporting from IGN and additional summaries from Digital Spy, Daily Mail and Contactmusic about Stephens’ own statement.