In-genie-ous ‘Aladdin’
Stars make characters their own in diverse retelling
The stars of the new “Aladdin” movie are on the ultimate magic-carpet ride.
Like many kids, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott grew up watching and loving Disney’s 1992 animated classic “Aladdin.” But the new live-action adaptation is a whole new world, and the two are center stage, alongside box-office titan Will Smith.
Massoud, who plays Aladdin, and Scott, who portrays Princess Jasmine, relished the chance to put modern twists on their beloved characters. For Scott, that meant developing Jasmine beyond the version introduced to viewers nearly three decades ago.
“Most importantly, you’re taking a character that’s from an animation and just humanizing,” Scott told the Daily News.
“We wanted her to be even more ambitious. In the original, she’s fighting for the choice to marry who she wants, which is amazing, but in this movie, she’s not just fighting for her own choice. She’s fighting for the freedom and the choice of her people.”
Massoud, too, faced the tall task of putting his own spin on Aladdin. He stopped watching the original after receiving his first callback during auditions to avoid being too heavily influenced.
The actor worked with director Guy Ritchie and the film’s creative team to tap into Aladdin’s selfless nature and eagerness to support Jasmine.
Many other aspects of the new “Aladdin,” which hits theaters Friday, feel like a trip down memory lane. Songs like “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali” and “A Whole New World” are featured, and it still centers on the street-smart Aladdin coming across a magic Genie (Smith) and wishing to become a prince to marry Jasmine, the isolated princess of the fictional city of Agrabah.
Massoud, 27, is of Egyptian heritage, and Scott, 26, has Indian and English roots. Both stars praised the diversity of the new film’s cast and are thrilled by the opportunity to provide representation for audiences who don’t often see themselves on screen.
“This never happens,” Massoud said. “To be able to represent Middle Easterners and Indians and Asians, and hopefully, that’s a symbol for all the other ethnic groups, for Latinos and everybody else, that you can make a big blockbuster movie like this. Hopefully, it succeeds and they continue to make them.”
Massoud shares many scenes in the movie with Smith, whose eccentric Genie was voiced by the late Robin Williams in the animated film.
Williams set a high bar with his unforgettable performance, but Massoud and Scott agree that casting Smith was spot on.
“What (Williams) did with the Genie in the original was that he was just himself, essentially,” Massoud explained. “He did all the things he was good at. He did all the different voices, and he was just his big personality, and Will’s the same way.”
In addition to bringing back well known characters like Abu, the Sultan and the villainous Jafar, the new “Aladdin” introduces several fresh faces, including Nasim Pedrad’s Dalia, who is Jasmine’s handmaiden and best friend.
“I think it’s really important that Jasmine has her female best friend, the woman that she’s grown up with,” Scott said.
The actors wrapped up production on “Aladdin” more than a year ago, but Massoud says it’s only now starting to sink in that he played such an iconic character. Scott isn’t sure if it will truly hit her until the movie comes out.
“I hope people come out of there learning something about themselves, and feel empowered to have a voice and be themselves, because I think at the end of the day, the movie is about just being yourself and being proud of who you are and where you come from,” Massoud said. “I also hope people of color come out of the film and go, ‘All right, I’m empowered. I can do this. I can follow my dreams. I can do anything I set my mind to.’ ”