The great ‘Aladdin’ cover-up
You won’t see Jasmine’s midriff this time.
Jasmine’s signature outfit from the animated “Aladdin” is iconic. You know the look: low-riding turquoise harem pants paired with a tiny off-the-shoulder top that leaves the princess’ belly button out in the open.
That is not an outfit that exists in the new world of Disney’s live-action “Aladdin.”
“The (animated) movie was done in 1992. We wanted to modernize the movie, and some things are inappropriate these days for families,” says “Aladdin” producer Dan Lin.
So there was a rule on the “Aladdin” set to make sure the movie achieved that goal: “No midriff,” Lin says.
Naomi Scott, 26, who plays Jasmine in the updated film, says the costume decision “was about what makes the most sense for this movie and this time, and that’s what we landed on. I think it was the right decision.”
Producer Jonathan Eirich had another reason to keep Jasmine from wearing crop tops: his wife. “I’m still married because Jasmine’s not (baring her) midriff.”
Fans of elaborate costume design likely will support the filmmakers’ decision to keep the famous princess more covered up. Instead of wearing monochrome bra tops and baggy pants, Jasmine is dripping in sumptuous gowns with gold detailing, elaborate trains and vibrant jewels that highlight her regality over her sexuality.
Yes, she still has a turquoise frock (with a bronze detail right over her stomach), plus clothes in orange, fuchsia and cream.
But, notably, there is no skimpy red “slave” outfit as in the animated film.
In the original movie, Jasmine is enslaved by Sorcerer Jafar, who seems to have forced her into a cleavage-baring red outfit with a bandeau top and hiphugging pants. While clad in this ensemble, Jasmine pretends to be in love with Jafar to help Aladdin sneak by.
“Your beard is so twisted,” Jasmine
says huskily to Jafar, sensually twirling his facial hair. Finally, to keep up her distraction, she kisses him, before Jafar realizes Jasmine is faking it and he forces her into an hourglass rapidly filling with suffocating sand.
That 1992 scene is not in the new PG
movie. Instead, fans will find Jasmine singing an empowerment anthem called “Speechless.”
“It’s part of the decisions we had to make in this film about what works in an animated film and what works in live action,” says Eirich, noting the new Guy Ritchie-directed film strove for “believability” inside the world of “Aladdin.” “As much as we wanted this to be a big, heightened, fantastical world, at the same time it had to be something the actors could inhabit.”
By the way, Jasmine isn’t the only character who’s less sexualized in the new film. Aladdin – whose signature animated look is a bare-chested torso with a purple vest and pants – wears sleeves this time around.
“He found a shirt,” Lin says. “So it goes both ways!”