Ahsokadealt with the main characters fromStar Wars Rebelslooking for Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) after he disappeared fighting against Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) in the final episodes of the animated series. WhenDave Filonidecided it was time to bring the animated world of the galaxy far, far away to live-action, the search began for a person to portray Ezra Bridger. Before filming on the adventure began, Eman Esfandi was cast as the character, and apparently he knew he would get the role six months before it happened. During a panel moderated by Collider’sArezou Aminat this year’s edition of the FAN EXPO San Francisco, the actor revealed how he knew what was going to happen.
Esfandi mentioned that when he started watchingRebelsonDisney+, the character of Ezra Bridger seemed to speak to him as a person. Due to the strong connection he felt at the moment, the actor was sure he was going to have the opportunity of portraying the live-action version of the Jedi at some point in his career. Six months later, Filoni and the team behind theMandalorianspinoff informed him that the role was his, making him an official part of the cast. After that, Esfandi got to play the boy who was sent to a galaxy far, far away from the one he grew up in:
But then I’m like hearing Ezra and I’m like “Uhh, hello?” And I’m in my living room and it’s Ezra and he’s like “What’s up?” And I’m like “Is this what I think this is?” You know, like is this? And it’s all happened sort of immediately, and like “Yeah, this is what you think it is.” And I’m like “Oh my god, okay so you’re here, because you want to play through me?” And it was kind of just like a “Yeah, if you’re down, you know?” and I was like “Yeah, you’re a Jedi dude, of course I’m down bro.”
In the television series that was released earlier this year, Ezra was found by Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), as she made a deal with Grand Admiral Thrawn to see her old friend again. The Mandalorian warrior had been training in the ways of the Force with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), and she was ready to use her new abilities to bring Ezra home. After traveling to an entire different galaxy just to find Ezra, Sabine could’ve never predicted what was waiting for her after rescuing the young Jedi.
What’s Next for Ezra Bridger?
When the final credits rolled on the first season ofAhsoka, Ezra had found his way back to the galaxy he grew up in, but Ahsoka and Sabine were left behind. Bridger was reunited with General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who had also been a part of the originalRebelsfamily.A second seasonof the spinoff hasn’t been officially confirmed by the studio, but it was reportedly in development after the premiere of the first installment. If the characters don’t get to return in new episodes, Dave Filoni will be directing a new movie set in the galaxy far, far away, which is meant to close out the storylines introduced inThe Mandalorian. Time will tell when it’ll be time for Ezra Bridger to return.
Ahsokais now available to stream on Disney+
After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.
