Jyn Erso in the Andor timeline

I think it was always unlikely that we'd see Jyn Erso in Andor.

Felicity Jones will be 40 later this year, or around 37 when Andor filmed, presumably playing a 16-year-old Jyn. They could have recast Jyn, of course, but there wouldn't be much point to it. I mean, Andor and Jyn hadn't met prior to RO, right? So Jyn's involvement would have to amount to a cameo unseen by Andor.

 

(First, just a clarifiaction: Nik Sant was explicitly not identified as Cpt. Rex, to leave the future open, according to Feloni himself. There are clear indications that he could be Nik Sant, of course, but ultimately the link was not made in canon).

Of course a cameo would be fun, but we must also take into acount the filmmakers (TV-makers in the case of Andor) having to spend time and resources (and considerable contractual payment to Felicity Jones if she was used, and also, if her contract is any good, should her character was recast) just to bring out a familiar face in the background that didn't contribute anything to the story. Ultimately, beyond the fan service coolness of such a cameo, it would serve a very limited purpose, if any.

 

The above mentions about Nick Sant are making me harken back to the elder extra actor from Return of the Jedi, who of course appeared uncredited. Y'know, the older rebel with the white beard fighting Imperials on Endor underneath the Second Death Star. Lots of people want to retcon him as Captain Rex, fighting with the Rebellion in his old age. I still wonder who that actor was. Apparently he wasn't a well-known actor because he'd have been identified by now, even if he's deceased, which he surely is by now. I'm guessing from his appearance in ROTJ that he's at least 60 years old at the time of that filming. He'd be about 100 years old now, which would possibly bring attention to him since centenarians are often documented and congratulated in the media, except in places where such elders are common, such as Japan.

Has anyone seen any sources anywhere that possibly indicate who this actor was? Has GL ever made any kind of clarification or guess about this guy?

NEVERMIND. Just found the whole thing on Wookiepedia:

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Nik_Sant#:~:text=He was first identified as,Burner."

According to the ablove-linked article, Filoni has decided in the end that he shouldn't made a decision to canonify this character as Rex because the character was established as Sant well before Filoni came to Star Wars. The actor, apparently English, was credited in production continuity documentation as 'L. Burner'. Sounds like a pseudonym or stage name to me, but what do I know. This actor is seen nowhere else, so my belief is that he is almost certainly deceased by now.