The actor was in awe of Anakin Skywalker.
The Big Picture
- During the
Ahsoka
panel at Calgary Expo, Eman Esfandi shared insights on the series, including memorable moments from filming with Hayden Christensen. - Esfandi’s surreal experience on set with Christensen helped him appreciate the sheer magnitude of making a
Star Wars
project. -
Ahsoka
, starring Rosario Dawson, follows Ahsoka Tano’s journey to prevent the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
At this year’s Calgary Expo, the “All About Ahsoka” panel, featuring Eman Esfandi and Diana Lee Inosanto and moderated by Collider’s Maggie Lovitt, offered attendees a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the Star Wars universe. During the discussion, Esfandi shared an intriguing anecdote about a particularly memorable night filming Ahsoka, a series that expands the lore surrounding its titular character, Ahsoka Tano, portrayed by Rosario Dawson.
Ahsoka takes the series into both familiar and new territory, reintroducing characters such as Anakin Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen, and introducing Esfandi’s character, Ezra Bridger, into live-action. Ezra, a key figure from the animated series Star Wars Rebels, is known for his deep connection to the Force and a complex path from a young, impulsive rebel to a mature Jedi. His journey in Ahsoka was highly anticipated by fans eager to see the character transition into live-action. During the panel, when asked about the weirdest moment on set, Esfandi recounted a surreal experience involving Christensen, who returns as Anakin Skywalker, a character pivotal to the entire Star Wars saga. Esfandi described a long and exhausting day on set that stretched into the early hours of the morning.
“I was on set probably till 10 or 11 PM in the backlot, late night, long day. So you get kind of delirious and loopy. The night went on, and it got late, way up to [around] 3 AM, so I’m super loopy,” Esfandi continued. The two spent hours talking about everyday things like tennis and snacking on fruit, typical ways to pass the time between scenes.
Hayden Christensen “Epitomizes” ‘Star Wars’ for Eman Esfandi
Despite knowing Christensen and understanding his iconic role in Star Wars, Esfandi hadn’t fully connected Christensen’s real-life persona with his legendary character until witnessing him in action. Watching Christensen make that iconic appearance made the whole Star Wars experience feel real to Esfandi. He explained:
“And then, sure enough, it’s his time to go on the mound where Ahsoka and Sabine both see him at the end of this series. And it’s obviously a very mystical scene, and I’m watching it, it’s 3 a.m. and I’m there with
Dave Filoni
’s wife, and we’re watching it. And I’m like, ‘Wow, what is this world that I’m in?’ I got emotional, like I woke up. So that was weird. And I was like,
‘oh, this is Star Wars, like The Star Wars.’
He sort of epitomizes it in a way for me.”
The moment not only brought Esfandi a deeper appreciation for the Star Wars universe but also highlighted the personal transformations actors undergo as they take on the responsibility of playing these epic, larger-than-life characters. A second season of Ahsoka is in the works, and the first season can be seen now on Disney+. Stay tuned at Collider for more.
Ahsoka
After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former Jedi Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.
- Release Date
- August 1, 2023
- Cast
- Rosario Dawson , Hayden Christensen , Ray Stevenson , Mary Elizabeth Winstead
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 1
This article was originally published on collider.com