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Ebon Moss-Bachrach is cast as Marvel’s new Ben Grimm / The Thing in the upcoming film,The Fantastic Four. BeforeThe Bearactor was tasked with the role in the MCU, Michael Bailey Smith, Carl Ciarfalio, Michael Chiklis, and Jamie Bell played the role in earlier live-action movies. However, Marvel did one thing right with Moss-Bachrach’s casting from the earlier iterations, as they appropriately cast a Jewish actor in the role.
In Marvel Comics, Benjamin Grimm is Jewish and first revealed his identity in an emotional moment. Jack Kirby, who created the character, modeled Ben after himself and named him after his father Benjamin Kurtzberg.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Casting Preserves The Identity Of Ben Grimm
On Valentine’s Day,Marvel Studiosrevealed the cast and release date of its upcoming movie,The Fantastic Four. The four members of the superhero family will be portrayed byPedro Pascal,Vanessa Kirby,Joseph Quinn, andEbon Moss-Bachrach. While fans have been anticipating these actors in these roles for a long time now, many were particularly rooting for Moss-Bachrach’s casting as Ben Grimm / The Thing.
“I can’t deny I think”: Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Response to Fantastic Four Casting as The Thing Seemingly Confirms His MCU Debut
For one, Ebon Moss-Bachrach just became a prominent name in the industry after winning an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor forThe Bear. However, the massive support for the casting decision was due to his Jewish identity. In the comics, Ben Grimm’s Jewish identity was a big deal, especially when he openly revealed it.
The Thing’s Jewish heritage was hinted at throughout the comics for a long time, but it took four decades since the character’s inception to finally acknowledge it in a storyline. Ben Grimm revealed his identity inFantastic Four #56in 2002. Writer Karl Kesel and artist Stuart Immonen gave a particularly tragic backstory as to why it was never brought up before.
In the story, his old Jewish neighbor Hiram Sheckerberg is attacked by the villain Powderkeg. Ben believes that Sheckerberg is dead and recites thesh’ma.However, Sheckerberg lives and wonders why Ben hasn’t revealed his identity to anyone. When he asks whether Ben was ashamed of his Jewish identity, the Fantastic Four member responds:
“Nah, that ain’t it…I don’t talk it up, is all. Figure there’s enough trouble in this world without people thinkin’ Jews are all monsters like me.”
Sheckerberg assures Ben that he is no monster, but actually resembles the Golem from Jewish folklore, who acted as a protector to the Jews. The Thing later accepts his Jewish identity more in the comics and publicly reads from the Torah a few years later. He eventually marries the blind sculptor, Alicia Masters, in a Jewish ceremony.
Why is The Bear Considered as a Comedy Series? – Emmy Winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach Has a Definitive Answer
Marvel Specifically Wanted A Jewish Actor For Ben Grimm This Time
Michael Chiklisplayed The Thing in the 2005Fantastic Fourmovie andJamie Bellin the 2015 iteration, both under the 20th Century Fox studio. However, when Marvel Studios gained rights over the Fantastic Four, they intended to cast a Jewish actor to respect the identity of Ben Grimm. Industry insider Jeff Sneider revealed last March that Marvel’s Ben Grimm actor was“going to be Jewish.”He shared onThe Hot Micthat the information came from a credible source.
The Fantastic Fourwill be Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s second outing in the MCU, as he had earlier played the role of David Lieberman / Micro in the first season ofThe Punisher. He is also known for his roles inGirls,The Last Ship, andNOS4A2. In addition to his Emmy forThe Bear, Ebon Moss-Bachrach also won the Critics Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe.
The Bear Dominates at Emmys: Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach Create Career Record at Emmy Awards 2024
Matt Shakman will be directingThe Fantastic Four. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters in the U.S. on July 17, 2025.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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Ebon Moss-BachrachJoseph QuinnPedro PascalVanessa Kirby
