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Disney is struggling to cast its live-action Aladdin.

I mean part of me is happy they are trying to get cast members appropriate for the location, fictional or not. Not to mention wanting acting AND singing chops. But like others said, when the diversity pool of talent has been kept so small all these years, this is the result when you want and need a certain cast type.

Have a feeling it will be the same for Mulan, though probably will be easier since China itself is grooming actors and actresses for international consumption. Will not be surprised if we see some roles go to South Korean actors as well out of pure popularity.

Based on Disney's past and how much they value China as a market, I'm pretty certain all the major characters, if not all of the characters will be ethnically Chinese.
 
Well that's what happens when the talent pool is kept small and isn't allowed to grow, you start to get slim picking.

Disney just need look harder and maybe be less fussy as only it's Aladdin, everyone knows that the real star of the movie is the Genie, though no offense to Will Smith but he will never top Robin William Genie.
 
There was a backlash, but it's not like how it is today with social media. I'm certain the outrage would've been much bigger today. LOL

To her and the film's credit, I thought Jennifer Lopez did a great job.

Obviously I can't speak for Mexicans or Mexican Americans, but I think the majority didn't have an issue after watching the film.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
one of the funny complaints was that jlo didn't have a big enough ass if you can believe that.
 
Well that's what happens when the talent pool is kept small and isn't allowed to grow, you start to get slim picking.

Disney just need look harder and maybe be less fussy as only it's Aladdin, everyone knows that the real star of the movie is the Genie, though no offense to Will Smith but he will never top Robin William Genie.

Will Smith doesn't need to top Robin William's Genie. He just needs to make the character his own like Robin did in the animated film.

one of the funny complaints was that jlo didn't have a big enough ass if you can believe that.

No way. J.Lo's ass was bigger than Selena's. So much so, I remember J.Lo's ass was kinda distracting in the movie. LOL

Edit: On second look, they're about the same size. GOOD CASTING.
 
Don't cast the Power Rangers girl as Jasmine. Like, why even risk the outrage?

Scott was born in London, England. Her mother, Usha Scott (née Joshi), is of Gujarati Indian descent from Uganda, and her father, Christopher Scott, is British
 
I love how everyone just throws out every Arab looking dude they've ever seen on TV.

To be fair, this happens for every high profile acting role. Look at the names that got tossed around for years for Captain Marvel. Or the Cable casting threads for Deadpool. All you need to do is vaguely look the part.
 
It's a problem of both. Hollywood spending decades within their own bubble pushing their preferred actors and now that we're in a bit of a crossing point when it comes to inclusion, both they and any agencies that don't work within the hollywood circuits are finding it difficult to come together in a reasonable, meaningful, and moreover, time and cost effective way. Disney has to shotgun auditions and people have to come off the streets to go to said auditions.

There are no paved avenues for anyone to go down for this sort of thing for a very large number of reasons that haven't gone way so much as they've been pushed aside for this production.



Hollywood does not, nor will they ever, care about that.

I find it hard to believe that unknown actors wouldn't fall over themselves for the chance to be cast as the lead actor in a big-budget Disney movie, regardless of whether they have, historically speaking, had access to 'Hollywood avenues' or not.

The likely source of the problem is the sheer magnitude of the requirements for an actor to play the lead in what amounts to a live-action musical - and a beloved one at that.
 
Utkarsh Ambudkar from Pitch Perfect and Mindy Project checks off every box they want aside from being in his early 30s, but he's got those boyish looks and he's playing a college-age character most of the time anyway.
 
There's alot Arabic and Turkish actors to choose from as local TV shows are extremely popular there, shouldn't be an issue.

Shouldn't be using Bollywood, this is going to piss people off, especially in Arabia, distorting thier history yet again.
 
I mean... is there any reason not to have Gilbert Gottfried back as Iago for this at least?

Back in 2011 when Japan had the terrible earthquake/tsunami, he tweeted about it being revenge for Peal Harbor. Subsequently, he was fired from Geico and just about dropped off the face of the earth.
 
Sheila Vand who has Iranian ties and starred in A Girl Who Walks Home at Night could play an excellent Jasmine.

She is 32 but could easily play someone in their mid 20's. And Jasmine does not need to be 16 years old. If Emma Watson can play Belle then she can play Jasmine. Not sure if she can sing though, but Audrey Hepburn did not sing in My Fair Lady and nobody bitches about that performance.
 
They should go super meta and cast an Asian, since it's theorized that the character was Chinese in the original story.

Back in 2011 when Japan had the terrible earthquake/tsunami, he tweeted about it being revenge for Peal Harbor. Subsequently, he was fired from Geico and just about dropped off the face of the earth.

Jesus, what is with this guy and making jokes about horrible tragedies without even a time buffer. His 9/11 joke right after it happened got him in trouble too.
 
Really? Rami Malik (some makeup to make him look younger) for Aladdin and Priyanka Chopra for Jasmine. See if there's chemistry between them.

220px-Priyanka_nikon_camera.jpg
 
Don't care who they cast, as long as Nolan North dubs him in the Blu-ray extra features. He was so convincing in PoP 2008. Also he won't need to sing, as Peter Andre can fill in for all the songs.
 
I think Will Smith is a good choice. The Genie and that parrot are the two characters that do not demand a Middle Eastern origin.

Will Smith is no Robin Williams but who is?

He can sing, rap, improvise. Seems like a good choice to me. I would love it if they got Gilbert Godfrey back but his past indiscretions may make that impossible.
 
I wonder if we can go a full 30 posts without someone suggesting that at 30+ year old play a teenager.

I find it hard to believe that unknown actors wouldn't fall over themselves for the chance to be cast as the lead actor in a big-budget Disney movie, regardless of whether they have, historically speaking, had access to 'Hollywood avenues' or not.

The likely source of the problem is the sheer magnitude of the requirements for an actor to play the lead in what amounts to a live-action musical - and a beloved one at that.

Contrary to popular belief, acting isn't something you're just born able to do. You train at it, you practice it, and you get better. Part of that training and getting better involves learning from the roles you take (and the people you meet during them) and carrying that into your next job. If the film industry had done a better job of creating minority parts, then more of these "unknown actors" would have the experience to show they are able to handle a part of this magnitude, or to learn from people that would help them be able to handle it, instead of Disney having to choose someone and hope they can pull it off. Not to mention that maybe more minorities get into acting in the first place, widening the pool you get to search from.
 
I think Will Smith is a good choice. The Genie and that parrot are the two characters that do not demand a Middle Eastern origin.

Will Smith is no Robin Williams but who is?

He can sing, rap, improvise. Seems like a good choice to me. I would love it if they got Gilbert Godfrey back but his past indiscretions may make that impossible.
No one is on that level but he should be CGI anyway. Surely there is a voice actor out there with far more range than Will Smith
 
lol, she's my age (34) and looks it

A bit of make-up and they both can be made to look in their 20s. And I don't want to see a live action love story between two teenagers; times have changes. I don't want to see a father trying to marry off his daughter at 18.
 
No one is on that level but he should be CGI anyway. Surely there is a voice actor out there with far more range than Will Smith


I am sure there is someone out there, but with his range and starpower? It is going to be a CGI character obviously. Billy Crystal is probably the best emulation of Robin Williams you could find, but he is 15 years past his prime.

Sure there are more inspired choices then Will Smith, but I cannot think of someone offhand who would fit the bill better and has that level of star power. Maybe Jim Carrey. Actually definetly Jim Carrey.
 
Genuinely don't understand why they NEED to find an actor who is also an accomplished singer. Unless someone has been trained for the stage, they're just going to create downgraded versions of previous classics a la Beauty and the Beast and then ask the actors to lipsync to said downgraded version, which shall then be extensively edited anyways.

Just cast a good actor please who fits the role. The singing can be handled by actual professionals.
 
No one is on that level but he should be CGI anyway. Surely there is a voice actor out there with far more range than Will Smith

Honestly i'd probably consider classic Genie in full CG and use William's replacement actor.
Yeah people will compare it like crazy and such but they will do that to literally anything that gets put out there as Genie.
 
Genuinely don't understand why they NEED to find an actor who is also an accomplished singer. Unless someone has been trained for the stage, they're just going to create downgraded versions of previous classics a la Beauty and the Beast and then ask the actors to lipsync to said downgraded version, which shall then be extensively edited anyways.

Just cast a good actor please who fits the role. The singing can be handled by actual professionals.


I agree with this. As great as it is to have the actual actor singing, we have the technology to lip sync those scenes. I would prefer a great actor playing the character, and a great singer doing the songs.
 
I am sure there is someone out there, but with his range and starpower? It is going to be a CGI character obviously. Billy Crystal is probably the best emulation of Robin Williams you could find, but he is 15 years past his prime.

Sure there are more inspired choices then Will Smith, but I cannot think of someone offhand who would fit the bill better and has that level of star power. Maybe Jim Carrey. Actually definetly Jim Carrey.

Jamie Foxx would be a better fit for Genie.
 
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