Disney has finally found its Aladdin!
During the D23 Expo on Saturday (15th July), Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey announced that Mena Massoud will be playing the lead man in the Guy Ritchie-directed “Aladdin” live-action remake. He is joined by actress Naomi Scott, whose mother is Gujarati Indian descent, and Will Smith have officially been cast as Princess Jasmine and the Genie respectively.
The Canadian-Egyptian actor also took to Twitter to share the good news to his followers. He wrote, “So honoured & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let’s get to work!”
While we’re super excited to see Massoud play Aladdin, we bet many fans are curious to know more about the charming young actor. Thanks to the interweb, here are 6 things you need to know about him:
1. Massoud was born in Egypt, but was raised in Canada.
2. His first role was on “Nikita”, where he portrayed a member of Al-Qaeda.
3. He will appear in Amazon’s series “Jack Ryan” from creators Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland. Massoud’s character is Tarek Kassar, “the best and brightest” of the CIA analysts.
4. He looks up to Robin Williams and admitted that the late actor was the one who inspired him to pursue acting. In speaking with The Hudsucker, he said, “He was an incredibly well-rounded actor but I grew up on his role in Mrs. Doubtfire. That role by itself is very well-rounded and he goes through an amazing journey in that movie. I think it’s very underrated.”
5. Massoud is a fitness junkie (he has a 6-pack!).
6. He was born on September 17th, which means he’s a Virgo.
What do y’all think of Disney’s new Aladdin? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sources: E! News, ET Online, EW, Mena Massoud’s Instagram / Featured image: Egyptian Streets.
