After at least two years worth of rumors that Star Wars: Rebels character Ezra Bridger would make the jump from animation to the live-action world of The Mandalorian, Eman Esfandi has been reportedly cast in the role for the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney+. Esfandi’s casting arrives after rumors that Midnight Mass actor Rahul Kohli and Aladdin star Mena Massound were circling the Ezra Bridger part.
Esfandi’s credits include the Robert Rodriguez horror film Red 11, which screened at Cannes in 2019, as well as a small role in best picture nominee King Richard. He also appears in the upcoming gay military drama The Inspection, which is getting strong early reviews out of the Toronto Film Festival this week.
As one of the main characters of the animated Rebels series, Ezra Bridger displayed a sensitivity to the Force at a time when the Empire was aggressively hunting down the Jedi. After unlocking an ability to travel through space and time with the Force, Ezra disappeared in the series finale along with the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka Tano and Mandalorian fighter Sabine Wren set off on a quest to find him, which will reportedly be the plot of the Ahsoka series. (The Society star Natasha Liu Bordizzo was cast as Sabine earlier this year.)
In Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Rosario Dawson‘s Ahsoka is shown searching for Thrawn in her live-action debut, so the groundwork for finding Ezra Bridger is in place. Judging by this casting news, it’s a good guess that she finds him.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)