“Aladdin” is one of Disney’s most popular animated movies. Released in 1992, the beloved film is based on an Arabic folk tale called “One Thousand and One Nights”. The story follows Aladdin, a street rat named who finds a magic lamp that unleashes Genie, a blue-skinned spirit who grants him 3 wishes.
In true Disney fashion, “Aladdin” is also getting a live-action remake. However, director Guy Ritchie and the studio are having a hard time trying to find the right actor for the titular role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, auditions were held in London, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, as well as India. Besides that, around 2,000 actors and actresses have auditioned for the lead roles of Jasmine and Aladdin.
However, casting a male lead in his 20s, who is of Middle Eastern or Indian descent, and both act and sing has proven difficult. Although the studio is interested in Dev Patel (of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame) and Riz Ahmed (of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” fame), the male lead will likely be a newcomer.
Upon seeing the news, Disney fans have come up with a list of Middle Eastern and Indian actors who would be perfect for the role of Aladdin.
They are (aside from Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed):
- Avan Jogia (of “The Outcast” fame)
- Zayn Malik
- Fawad Khan (who is a Pakistani actor, model and singer)
- Hrithik Roshan
- Rami Malek (of “Mr. Robot” fame)
- Deniz Akdeniz (who plays Aladdin in “Once Upon A Time”)
- Suraj Sharma (of “Life of Pi” fame)
- Eman Esfandi
https://twitter.com/1DirectionAve/status/885320797925105664
https://twitter.com/ManCanddyPics/status/884942956129652736
@Disney: if it's not @emanesfandi I'm not watching pic.twitter.com/D12cz3OiW8
— Lucy Reis (@LucyR523) July 12, 2017
Who do you think could play the sweet, charming, and brave Aladdin? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sources: BuzzFeed, The Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post / Featured image: Alchetron, Pinterest, The Express Tribune.
