Star Wars: Aladdin Star Mena Massoud Reacts to Ezra Bridger Casting Following Rumored Involvement

With Ezra Bridger confirmed to be played by Eman Esfandi in Star Wars: Ahsoka, formerly rumored actor and Aladdin star Mena Massoud has weighed in on the situation, confirming there was never any significant momentum on the opportunity. Rumors of Massoud’s casting came in 2021, with the actor himself then going on to share social media posts that offered teases that his casting was a likelihood. Given the nature of secrecy around Star Wars projects, as well as Massoud’s interest in the role, his only reactions to casting reports were deflecting and coy, with him now addressing he never progressed from the initial casting stage. Star Wars: Ahsoka is expected to premiere on Disney+ next year.

“Glad the rumors will stop now,” Massoud shared on Twitter. “Never really had a fair shot at it unfortunately (1 self-tape months ago) but just wasn’t meant for me I guess. Can’t deny the dude looks exactly like Ezra. Hope it’s done justice!”

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Audiences first met Ezra Bridger in Star Wars Rebels in 2014, with four seasons of that series seeing him become a beloved figure in the galaxy far, far away. With that series coming from Dave Filoni and unfolding at a compelling time in the Star Wars canon, the series itself earned a passionate following, not only for the ways in which it incorporated iconic characters and elements of other stories, but also for the compelling narratives that were entirely original.

Ezra, much like the animated character Ahsoka Tano, has been rumored to be coming to live-action for years, with Rosario Dawson debuting the live-action Ahsoka in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. With that appearance featuring the mention of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Rebels villain who seemingly died when Ezra made a devastating sacrifice, speculation has been brewing for years that Ezra was on his way to live-action.

Before Massoud’s name was in the mix, The Haunting of Bly Manor star Rahul Kohli trolled fans on social media with posts that both teased that he was already involved in that project, while also hinting that he was merely campaigning for the role. After a few weeks of such posts, Kahul came clean about the ruse, shutting down any rumors of such casting in the years since. 

It’s currently unknown how significant a presence Ezra will be in the new series, with some theories igniting that Ahsoka and Sabine Wren will spend the season seeking out Ezra as opposed to fully incorporating him into the plot.

Stay tuned for details on Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!