Eman Esfandi Denies Playing Paul in Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Actor Eman Esfandi has firmly denied widespread speculation that his mysterious character in the new Marvel film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is Paul Rabin, a divisive figure from the comic books. The clarification came after fans connected his unnamed role as MJ's new boyfriend to the controversial character, prompting Esfandi to address the theory directly on social media.

In a post on X, Esfandi stated, "I am not, never have been, and never will be Paul." He added, "To those of you I saw in the comments defending my honor and saying I'd never accept that role thank you and MTFBWY." The actor, also known for playing Ezra Bridger in the live-action "Ahsoka" series, did not reveal the true identity of his character.

The speculation arose because the film's credits list Esfandi's role only as "The Boyfriend," leaving his character's name unspecified. Some reports indicated that subtitles in certain screenings identified him as Paul, though this does not appear in the official credits. This ambiguity led to intense fan debate, as Paul Rabin is a character widely disliked by a segment of the comic book readership.

Paul Rabin was introduced in a 2022 "Amazing Spider-Man" comic run. In...