‘Spider-Man’: Who Is MJ’s New Boyfriend? All About ‘Brand New Day’s Eman Esfandi
What To Know
- The Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer reveals MJ (Zendaya) has a new boyfriend.
- The character is played by Eman Esfandi.
In the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) literally throws himself off a building upon hearing that MJ (Zendaya) has never been happier. If that isn’t a precursor to how much romantic angst is in store, the footage of MJ getting cozy with another guy (Eman Esfandi) — while Peter watches on from across the room — sure is. Poor Peter is seriously going through it.
As the trailer reminds us a few seconds in, MJ doesn’t remember who Peter is. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, the only way Peter could save the day was by having Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) erase him from everyone’s memories, so MJ has moved on and created a life without him in the next movie. “Sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing, even if it breaks Peter Parker’s heart,” Peter says via voiceover while MJ smiles at her new love interest. (Brutal.)
That’s the only glimpse we get of MJ’s new boyfriend, and we’re right there with you if you immediately needed to know more about him. Below, Swooon is breaking down everything we know about both the mysterious character and the actor who plays him.
Who is MJ’s new boyfriend?
Even a casual Spider-Man fan could tell you that it’s not unusual for MJ to date other guys when she isn’t with Peter. Though we all know she and Peter are meant to be, MJ dates Flash Thompson (Joe Manganiello), Harry Osborn (James Franco), and John Jameson (Daniel Gillies) in Sam Raimi’s original trilogy of films, for one, and she has a few more dalliances in the Marvel comics.
So, who could this new guy be in Brand New Day? Flash, obviously, is out, since Tony Revolori already brought the character to life in the MCU. However, Harry has yet to appear, so we wouldn’t rule him out entirely. Per ComicBook.com, there’s a rumor amongst fans that the new character is Paul Rabin, who appears in Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr.’s The Amazing Spider-Man #1 run in 2022. When Peter is trapped in an alternate dimension for years, MJ moves on and starts a family with Paul, who’s a good, decent guy. Still, Paul stands in the way of the superhero getting his happy ending, so readers couldn’t help but hate him.
Who do you think MJ’s new love interest is: Harry, Paul, or someone else entirely? Once you read up on Esfandi, let us know your theories in the comments at the end of the page!
Who is Eman Esfandi?
The 31-year-old actor hails from Laredo, Texas, and he first started acting when he was studying economics at the University of Texas at Austin, according to Flaunt. He acted in “any short film that would cast [him]” before also directing his own: 2018’s Pepito, which won HBO’s LatinX Short Film Competition. Esfandi, who also releases rap music under the name DragonWulf, went on to land a supporting role in the 2021’s King Richard. He followed that up with a role in A24’s The Inspection.
The 2022 film follows a gay Black man who undergoes Marine Corps boot camp in 2005. Esfandi plays a Muslim-American man who joins the Marines with the hopes of assimilating. “Islamophobia was only on the rise, so during his recruitment, Ismail is treated with racism and xenophobia about his beliefs and race,” the actor told Flaunt of his character. “I was raised in Texas and grew up with the repercussions of 9/11 all throughout my childhood. When I was younger, it wasn’t as noticeable, but by the time I was in high school, I could better see the micro-aggressions that my being half-Persian, or my father being from Iran, would incite.”
Esfandi is no stranger to a major franchise, either. The actor is part of the Star Wars universe, playing Jedi Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka. He’s set to reprise his role in the second season of the Disney+ series.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day, July 31, In Theaters
