It’s official, Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud have been cast as Jasmine and Aladdin Guy Ritchie’s live action remake…and you will not believe the negative response this got; well, you will because it is totally understandable.
You see, Aladdin tells the story a young Arab boy who falls for an Arab princess in a made up Arab Kingdom. This is literally me oversimplifying it. And people are mad because the actress cast is half Indian and half White. First of, Indians ARE NOT Arabs. Secondly, are you telling me that after months of extensive search, the casting directors could not find a girl of Arabic descent who can sing, dance and act? That is basically not true. Hollywood just got lazy again.
Naomi Scott is a beautiful and talented actress, that much is true; she is also fresh off the success of the Power Rangers movie and its obvious Disney wants to tap into some of that. But it is wrong to push the notion that all ‘brown’ people are interchangeable. This really annoys me because the same is done with Black people and Asian characters – regardless of their culture, country and heritage.
People have a right to be upset about Naomi Scott being cast. They're upset that their representation was taken away, and rightly so.
— Lils. (@LiIyJames) July 16, 2017
Fans definitely took to twitter to express their displeasure, as expected:
Everyone: you should really cast an Arab for the role of jasmine
Disney: let's just cast someone who's 50% Indian and see if they notice— Sammy ???? (@ssammyysmith) July 18, 2017
So they couldn't find an arab actress to play princess Jasmine? @Disney bruuh..
— Oumi (@oumi_ab) July 17, 2017
As insane as this is, I’m just lowkey happy they didn’t cast a white actress for the role. Disney: what do you think? Megan Fox for the role of Jasmine? Afterall, Ghost in the Shell got away with Scarlett Johansson, right?
It’s funny how after all of this, the movie will still go on make hundreds of millions and Disney will still not learn their lesson. Please ehn, they should not do this to my Mulan oh.
But hey, at least they got the formula half right and Egyptian actor – Mena Massoud – has been cast as Aladdin.
Does he look like Aladdin? Well…no, but that is literally a minor percentage of what matters. As long as he’s a good actor and the writing for his character is true to the essence of the 1992 animation – all is well, not really but we’ll take it.
Aladdin comes out next year so Disney has a lot of time to make things right. Will they? Of course not.
Guy Ritchie – the man behind Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, King Arthuer: Legend of The Sword will be directing the movie; his movies have usually gone on to make MILLIONS at the box office and that is basically all Disney is looking at. Afterall, who doesn’t like money.
In the midst of all this hoopla, people have forgotten that the perfect replacement for Robin Williams has been cast as the voice of the Genie: Will Smith.
Live-Action Aladdin Cast Revealed, Will Smith Confirmed as Genie ||| https://t.co/iX6UhIZYJY pic.twitter.com/1UOwxvyVrw
— Geek Outpost News (@geekoutpost2) July 19, 2017
And people are legit excited about it…
*will smith is announced to be genie*
me: "iiiin western arabia born and raised in my magic lamp is where i spent most of my days"
— mia (@melissaxaim) July 16, 2017
Did I read that right? "Genie – Will Smith" yeah you know this movie boutta be lit ? https://t.co/m5QjdJcCdx
— ALMOND (@ahmedtwinkie) July 15, 2017
If Will Smith as the genie doesn't say "I've been trapped in this lamp for a Willennium" I want my money back
— Austin Bridges (@austinabridged) July 15, 2017
If you ask me, there’s nobody that can be a better genie than Robin Williams but Will Smith is a pretty good second. At least Disney got that right.
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