After more than a decade, it’s finally been revealed who else was up for the role ofEzra BridgerinStar Wars Rebels. Ezra Bridger has been a central piece ofStar Warssince he was introduced inRebelsand has since appeared in live-action inAhsoka. An orphan, Ezra eventually learned he was Force-sensitive and became the Jedi Padawan toKanan Jarrus. ThroughoutRebels, audiences got to see Ezra grow into a good Jedi who was willing to sacrifice himself for his found family.
Taylor Gray originated the role of Ezra Bridger and was the one who brought in Ezra’s signature sarcasm and dry sense of humor. As Ezra grew throughoutRebels, audiences also got to witness Taylor Gray’s evolution as a voice actor. In theRebelsrewatch podcast,Pod of Rebellion,which is hosted by Gray, Vanessa Marshall, Tiya Sircar, and Jon Lee Brody, it was revealed who else almost voiced the lovable Jedi from Lothal.
Pod Of Rebellion Just Revealed Who Was In The Running To Play Ezra Bridger
And It Includes One Legendary Actor
When discussingRebelsseason 1, episode 6, “Breaking Ranks,”Pod of Rebellionwas joined by special guest Dante Basco. Basco may best be known for voicing Zuko inAvatar: The Last Airbenderand Rufio inHook. While discussing the episode,Basco revealed that his role as Jai Kell inRebelsonly happened because he was one of the people in the mix to portray Ezra Bridger. Basco stated that he and Bryton James were the two runners-up to voice Ezra Bridger.
While it’s hard to imagine anyone but Taylor Gray voicing Ezra, it’s fascinating to learn who else was in the running. Someone with a starring role under their belt already, likeBasco, would’ve been an interesting pick, and it’s not entirely surprising that he was one of the people in contention for the role.Pod of Rebellionhad previously revealed thatEzra was the last main character to be cast, meaning that Basco and James were likely still being considered after the otherGhostcrew members were cast and had met.
Dave Filoni Brought Back Potential Ezra Voice Actors To Guest Star
It Was The Perfect Way To Bring Them Back
Dave Filoni likely cast Basco asJai Kelland Bryton James as Zare Leonis because he already knew they could convincingly portray a teenage boy. Interestingly,Filoni and others involved in the casting and development ofRebelswent from considering Basco and James for the role of a Jedi to hiring them to play Imperial recruits. While both Jai and Zare don’t end up joining the Empire, it’s still funny to think about.
Zare Leonis appeared again inRebelsseason 1, whereas Jai Kell reappeared as part of the Lothal resistance inRebelsseason 4.
Bringing back actors who just missed out on playing Ezra Bridger was a brilliant move on Dave Filoni’s part.Not only did it show Basco and James that Filoni and Lucasfilm were thankful for their time and effort auditioning for Ezra, but they also brought them back as some of the coolest guest stars.Both Jai Kell and Zare Leonis appeared in moreRebelsepisodes, and they had individual arcs that still ended up with them rebelling against the Empire.
Taylor Gray Is Still The Best Choice To Voice Ezra Bridger
Filoni Ultimately Made the Right Call
While both Dante Basco and Bryton James are wonderful and successful voice actors in their own right, Dave Filoni was right to cast Taylor Gray.Gray has been open onPod of Rebellionabout his inexperience when it came to voice acting, but that helped inform the character on a deeper levelthat just wouldn’t have been possible with either Basco or James.It created this innocence and hesitation that helped make Ezra a character that audiences wanted to root for.
Pod of Rebellionhas also spoken about how animators brought a lot of the voice actors' expressions and personalities into their animated counterparts, which makes it hard to separate Taylor Gray’s performance from the foundations of Ezra Bridger.
Pod of Rebellionhas also spoken about how animators brought a lot of the voice actors' expressions and personalities into their animated counterparts, which makes it hard to separate Taylor Gray’s performance from the foundations of Ezra Bridger. Gray’s sassiness and bravado helped make Ezra into the beloved character he is today, and it’s just not clear if audiences would’ve gotten that with another voice actor at the helm. Even 11 years afterRebels’ premiere, it’s so fun to find out these new and interesting tidbits that just make the show that much more special.
