Report: ‘Ahsoka’ Mandalorian Spin-Off May Cast ‘Aladdin’ Actor As Ezra Bridger

Well, we are currently in the “off season” for Disney Plus Star Wars shows, and we may not see the next one for quite a while due to COVID delays. But we know a ton of different shows that are coming, including a spin-off of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, featuring the Jedi that appeared in the show’s second season, and led multiple seasons of the animated Clone Wars series, now played by Rosario Dawson.

We got a glimpse at Ahsoka’s current mission, which is what it was at the end of Rebels, trying to locate Grand Admiral Thrawn, possibly the most powerful Imperial in the galaxy in this moment.Ahsoka and Sabine were looking for Ezra Bridger, a powerful young Jedi, and it seems likely that that search will continue in her series, and that Ezra himself will show up at some point.

Now, there’s a new Kessel Run Transmissions report that claims that Aladdin actor Mena Massoud will play Ezra Bridger, with others saying that he’s merely the “frontrunner” for the part instead. No official sources have confirmed this at this point, so take that how you will.

Massoud was the titular star of Aladdin, the Disney smash-hit, and a sequel is reportedly in the works. Massoud has previously stated that it was strangely hard to get jobs after Aladdin, as despite starring in a megahit like that, it appeared no one wanted to cast him in anything else, or even give him an audition:

 “I’m kind of tired of staying quiet about it,” he says. “I want people to know that it’s not always dandelions and roses when you’re doing something like Aladdin. ‘He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers.’ It’s none of those things. I haven’t had a single audition since Aladdin came out.”

The idea was that as a young, middle-eastern actor, he wasn’t being given the same opportunities as his white colleagues, but if these Ahsoka rumors are true, that could be about to change. It’s easy to see him perfectly sliding into the role of an older Ezra, who would probably be in his late 20s or early 30s in this timeline, I believe. Massoud is 29.

Previously, we have seen actors like Rahul Kohli strongly hint he’d like the job, though he’s a bit older at 35, and I do think Massoud might be the better fit. But whether this comes to pass is unclear, but regardless, Ahsoka should have two actors of color leading it. If Sabine is meant to be a fixture in the show, the same is likely true for her. It can be sometimes a bit…difficult to pinpoint races based on Clone Wars/Rebels style animation, but I would guess they may cast a Latina or Asian actress as Sabine. Rosario Dawson is playing well, an alien race, but she’s Cuban and Puerto Rican.

Of all Disney’s upcoming Star Wars projects, I expect few will get more attention than Ahsoka as it starts to come together. More news to come, and perhaps we will get some official word on Ezra soon.

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