Naomi’s whole new world as a Disney princess

NaoMi sCott is a Disney princess from the exotic kingdom of . . . essex. scott greeted me in a suite at the ham Yard hotel in soho. she’d been resting on a sofa, having arrived just a few hours before from Los angeles, where she’d been working on director Guy ritchie’s film of Disney’s live action aladdin.

scott, pictured, whose parents are pastors of a church in redbridge, plays Princess Jasmine, a young woman trapped in an opulent world in aladdin, which opens here on May 22.

‘there’s a sense of restrictiveness about her life, even down to the costumes,’ naomi told me. ‘all she’s yearning for is something real — a chance to experience real life.’

all the songs from the animated aladdin are in the film, too; but scott’s big moment comes when Jasmine needs to speak out against injustice in her land.

she achieves this with a powerful song called speechless, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriting duo behind award-winning musical Dear evan hansen, the Greatest showman and La La Land.

i’ve listened to a preview of the number and it’s terrific. ‘For young girls and boys it’s a song with a message. You do have a voice, and you can speak out,’ naomi said, adding that even if the battle is lost ‘it’s still important to speak out’.

she laughed, then added: ‘it’s not pretty. i literally have veins popping out of my neck when i’m singing it.’

even so, it would be pretty cool if it soars and

becomes a chart-topper like this is Me from the Greatest showman.

i happened to be having drinks with Pasek and Paul not long after i listened to scott singing the track they created. they both spoke excitedly at once: ‘ she’s great! We love her! she’s going to be a big star!’

along with aladdin, scott (who has appeared in tV shows, had a role in a Power rangers film and sung on albums and music videos) will also be seen in a new Charlie’s angels film, alongside Kristen stewart and ella Balinska.

scott got her start at 11, singing with the church band. she never had singing lessons but told me she was inspired by gospel singers with soulful voices.

When i saw her on the cover of april’s British Vogue i was pleased that this daughter of a Ugandan indian mother of Gujarati descent and a white British father looked completely at home. that sure Her sent a message. late nan — her mum’s mother — would have been proud. ‘she told me to always work hard because it won’t just be given to you,’ she said.

‘My nan was married at 15,’ added scott, who is herself married: to her childhood sweetheart, ipswich town footballer Jordan spence.

‘she had ten children. i think she really wanted to empower her girls to have the choice about who they wanted to be. i don’t underestimate that.

‘she passed a few years ago, but the influence lingers.’