Rumor: Mena Massoud To Play Ezra Bridger in Live-Action 'Ahsoka' Series
I just want to make this clear that this is just a rumor, but the hosts of Kessel Run Transmissions seem extremely confident in their sources and they are 100% convinced that the casting will go through. But, we’ll just have to wait and see until Disney and Lucasfilm makes an official announcement.
Aladdin star Mena Massoud is rumored to be joining the upcoming Star Wars Disney+ spin-off series Ahsoka as fan favorite Ezra Bridger. Kessel Run Transmissions recently addressed the rumor, and interest has been running wild among the fanbase. Massoud is heavily known for the 2019 live-action billion dollar grossing hit retelling of the 1992 animated classic from Disney. The actor hasn’t been in a lot of roles since the release of the film. If confirmed, being associated with the franchise can be another boost to Massoud’s career with another well known character that got his start on Star Wars Rebels.
Honestly, I think Massoud taking on the role of Bridger is a good idea. From his other roles like Tarek Kassar in the Amazon Prime series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and as Ethan Hart in the Hulu series Reprisal (2019), it’s not hard to imagine him in the role. He’s got the look and the acting chops, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens if it’s another breakout to a whole another level.
As of this article, Disney has not confirmed the rumors or any reporting regarding casting for the show, but the future will see the company ratchet up the production for Disney+ offerings on the Star Wars side, and it will be very fascinating to see how everything unfolds.
Taylor Gray, the original voice of Ezra from Rebels, was hoping people enjoy whatever the new direction is for the direction of the character in the future. Gray spoke with Hidden Remote three years ago about the ending of Rebels and how much he’d like to see a return.
"I think it was a great sacrificial ending and it wrapped up the story; Lothal is safe and Ezra became whole as a Jedi and learned the way of the Jedi through selflessness," Gray said in reference to Ezra’s fate. "I have high hopes for him to return – he’s grown into a formidable Jedi and we know he’s out there somewhere amongst the Purrgil in deep space."
"I enjoyed working with the cast and crew so much, we had a terrific group of people and it was such a fun environment every recording," he also mentioned. "The events when we would interact with fans were/are also so cool. It’s nice to hear the sentiments of the people watching and exchange stories about Star Wars and our characters, it’s amazing how much people cared for it. I feel very grateful to have had the experience.”
The character of Ezra Bridger made his first appearance in Rebels, the first show from Lucasfilm Animation following the buyout of Lucasfilm from Disney. It follows Ezra prior to the events of A New Hope as he trains to become a Jedi under Kanan Jarrus.
Ezra being inserted into the continuation of his story from Rebels with the Ahsoka series makes perfect sense. After all, Ahsoka is on a journey looking for him, and she’s obviously going to find him. It’s also been rumored that Ezra will get his own series alongside fan favorite villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, but that also has yet to be confirmed.
"Ahsoka, a new Original Series, starring Rosario Dawn and set within the timeline of The Mandalorian is coming to Disney Plus," Disney's official Twitter account shared shortly after Kennedy's announcement in December.
Source(s): Kessel Run Transmissions, ComicBook.com