Marvel is adding another actor to its universe who fans may recognize from a galaxy far, far away. This will be the seventh time an actor has appeared in both a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film and a Star Wars movie – both franchises being owned by Disney (with Spider-Man being an exception). This trend will continue with an upcoming MCU movie scheduled for release in 2026.
The first trailer for the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day was released on March 18th by Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. The trailer showed that Eman Esfandi will be appearing in the film, though his character hasn’t been officially revealed. There were earlier reports that he might play a new love interest for Zendaya’s MJ, potentially creating a romantic conflict with Peter Parker.
As a huge Star Wars fan, I was really excited to see Eman Esfandi join the live-action universe last year! He played Ezra Bridger, a character many of us already knew and loved from the animated series Star Wars Rebels. It was awesome seeing Ezra brought to life in Ahsoka, and Esfandi did a fantastic job – he was in four out of the eight episodes in the first season.
Esfandi is the latest of seven actors to appear in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star Wars franchise. Here’s a list of the six who did it before him:
6 Other Actors in the MCU & Star Wars
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson is one of the few actors to appear in both the Marvel and Star Wars universes. He first entered the Star Wars galaxy in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, playing the important role of Jedi Master Mace Windu. He continued in this role throughout all three prequel films, until his character was killed by Emperor Palpatine in 2005’s Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Samuel L. Jackson first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe three years after its launch, with a brief scene after the credits of the 2008 film Iron Man. He played Nick Fury, the director of SHIELD. Over the next 15 years—and potentially continuing—Jackson has become one of the most prolific actors in the Marvel Universe, appearing in a record-matching 15 projects, including the Agents of SHIELD TV series and the animated What If…? series.
Simu Liu
Simu Liu finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021, playing the skilled martial artist Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Fans are eager for a sequel, and he’s already expanded his role by voicing Shang-Chi in an episode of the What If…? series. He’s set to appear in live-action again as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, coming in 2026.
The actor also ventured into the Star Wars universe the same year he first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, providing the English voice for Jedi Lah Zhima in Star Wars: Visions. He reprised the role in Season 3, which was released in 2025.
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson first appeared in the Marvel world in 2015 as Claire Temple, also known as the Night Nurse, in the first season of Netflix’s Daredevil. She continued playing this character in five out of the six shows that made up Netflix’s Defenders Saga (with the exception of The Punisher). Despite these shows now being officially part of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), she hasn’t reprised the role yet.
Rosario Dawson joined the Star Wars world in 2020, playing the popular character Ahsoka Tano in live-action for the first time in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. She later appeared in The Book of Boba Fett and then starred in her own series, Ahsoka, with the second season expected to be released in 2026.
Ariana Greenblatt
Ariana Greenblatt quickly gained recognition as a young actor in 2018 when she played a younger version of Gamora in the Marvel movie Avengers: Infinity War. She appeared in a flashback and later, after Thanos’ snap, giving audiences a glimpse into the backstory of Zoe Saldaña’s character.
In 2023, Greenblatt gained further recognition for her role in Episode 5 of Ahsoka Season 1. She portrayed a younger Ahsoka Tano in an episode widely considered one of the season’s highlights, working alongside Hayden Christensen to explore Ahsoka’s experiences during the Clone Wars.
Cailey Fleming
Before she became well-known in Hollywood, Cailey Fleming appeared in the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. She played a young Rey, with Daisy Ridley portraying the older version of the character.
In 2021, six years after her role as a young Percy, Fleming appeared in the fourth episode of Marvel’s Loki series. She played a younger version of the character Sylvie, while Sophia di Martino played Sylvie for the rest of the show.
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss, famous for her work in films like The Matrix, played the pragmatic lawyer Jeri Hogarth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She was a key supporting character throughout all three seasons of Jessica Jones, and also appeared in the first season of Iron Fist and the miniseries The Defenders. However, she doesn’t anticipate reprising the role in future Marvel projects.
In 2024, Carrie-Anne Moss joined the Star Wars universe as Jedi Master Indara in the series The Acolyte, appearing in three episodes. Her character was killed off early in the show, establishing a dark and serious mood for the rest of the season.
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2026-04-06 12:36