Who Plays Ezra Bridger In Disney+'s Ahsoka?
The following article contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" Episode 6, "Part Six: Far, Far Away"
Going into the Disney+ series "Ahsoka," there was a lot for "Star Wars" fans to get excited about. Not only was Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) about to get a live-action project all her own after over a decade in animation, but updates on beloved "Star Wars Rebels" characters were on the way as well. As the series has unfolded, the likes of Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) have taken the spotlight. While it's great to see these animated favorites in live-action, fans have continued to ask the big question: where's Ezra Bridger?
For those unfamiliar with Bridger, he disappears during the "Rebels" finale along with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). He and the Imperial figurehead are taken far, far away, thanks to a pod of purrgils, leaving Sabine and the rest of his friends behind. Years after his departure during the events of "Ahsoka" Episode 6, "Part Six: Far, Far Away," Sabine travels to the planet Peridea, hopeful she'll find him alive. Sure enough, Bridger is still among the living, and this time around, he's portrayed by actor Eman Esfandi.
As he takes over for Taylor Gray, who voices Bridger throughout the entirety of "Rebels," Esfandi is adding a major credit to his rather short filmography. Here's where you may have spotted him before.
Esfandi only appeared in a few high-profile projects before Ahsoka
Unlike many of the actors on "Ahsoka," who boast robust acting résumés that go back decades and span screens big and small, Eman Esfandi is only just beginning to fill his out. His earliest credit is from 2017 in the form of the short film "FU Glory Days," where he takes on the role of Hammer. His filmography is largely populated by several more short films from subsequent years, such as 2018's "Why We Fight" and 2019's "I Am Mackenzie," but he does have some feature-length efforts to his name as well.
Esfandi scored his first feature film credit in 2018 via "Red 11," which was directed by none other than "Mandalorian" and "Book of Boba Fett" contributor Robert Rodriguez. This later brought him to "Phaedra," "Austin Weird," and the Will Smith-led "King Richard." At the time of this writing, the latest released silver screen production that Esfandi has attached himself to is 2022's "The Inspection," though it stands to reason that his body of work, acting talent, and the exposure boost he's receiving from "Ahsoka" will bring him to more films and television shows in the near future.
Fans are already embracing Esfandi as Ezra
If there's one thing the "Star Wars" fandom has shown over the years, it's hesitation and occasional hostility toward change. Thus, when the news broke that Eman Esfandi was on the hook to take the baton from Taylor Gray as Ezra Bridger, it was natural to expect some pushback from fans online. In some corners of the Internet, those opposed to the switch voiced their displeasure, but for the most part, folks were excited to see where Esfandi's take on the character was headed. In fact, before the series even released, fans expressed their support for his casting.
Back in December 2022, Redditor u/inkovertt posted an interview with Esfandi where was asked about his casting as Bridger for "Ahsoka." In the comment section, "Star Wars" fans were blown away by how perfectly cast he was, with his voice standing out as a perceived match for an aged-up version of the character. In another thread by u/GroundbreakingSet187, fans were amazed by how much Esfandi looks like the animated version of Bridger and chatted about how they couldn't wait to see him suit up on the small screen.
Surely we'll see more of Eman Esfandi's Ezra Bridger as "Ahsoka" continues on exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service.