Varada Sethu on Cinta & Vel’s Love in ‘Andor’: ‘It Wasn’t a Huge Deal — That’s How It Should Be’

Varada Sethu never imagined she would end up in the Star Wars universe. But when she landed the role of Cinta Kaz in the Disney+ series Andor, she quickly became part of a groundbreaking moment in the galaxy.

In Andor, Sethu plays Cinta, a brave and focused rebel fighter. What stood out most about her character for many fans was her relationship with Vel Sartha — the first openly queer couple in Star Wars live-action history.

“It meant a lot to me — I think the best thing about that part was that it wasn’t this huge deal, it was just normalized, nobody bats an eyelid,” Sethu says. “I believe that’s how it should be.”

For Sethu, this kind of representation is powerful. She knows that in many parts of the world, being queer is still illegal or unsafe. That’s why seeing queer characters shown as normal and accepted means so much.

“It’s a fundamental part of someone, but it’s also so arbitrary, and sadly there’s still a ways to go,” she explains. “So anything that is moving towards highlighting how totally normal and fine it is to be queer, I’m on board with.”

Even though Star Wars is full of spaceships, battles, and strange worlds, Sethu’s storyline added something simple and human — love. And that, she says, is what made it so special.

“It meant a lot to have that representation in the Star Wars world as well – the first, I think we were told, openly queer relationship,” she says with pride.

For fans, Cinta and Vel’s relationship wasn’t just important — it was history. And for Sethu, it was a dream come true to be part of a story that treated love like it should be: real, quiet, and deeply meaningful.