Transcript- Will Smith, Mena Masood. Naomi Scott- Alladin

Aladdin, a live action musical fantasy film is the reimagining of the 1992 animated classic from Walt Disney Pictures. The plot follows Aladdin, a street urchin, as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine, befriends a wish-granting Genie, and battles the wicked Jafar. In this interview, actors -Will Smith, Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud talk about their experience playing the iconic characters, their families reactions and their behind the scenes experiences. Aladdin will be aired on Star Movies on 15^th August 2020 at 3 pm as a part of the ‘Independence Day: Special Edition’ film pack.

1.     What was your reaction when you found out you are going to play the most iconic character in the history of cinema?!

Naomi -Honestly I was excited I think maybe I got to the fear that is going to be there later because the thought of humanizing an animated character that’s iconic is so great because you are going off animation which means there are definitely certain things that are foundation of the character but you can humanize that person which is so exciting because then I could make her into a woman who is into so many different things. So that was exciting for me and because I like she is obviously one of my favoriteDisney princesses for reals! I am not just saying that so for me it was just exciting and then the fear came!

Mena -I didn’t have time to think about it! I don’t know if I have ever told you this but I found out I got it on a Wednesday and had to fly out on a Friday for 6 months. So I had a day and half to pack all my stuff because of will’s schedule. It was good thought because I didn’t have the time to dwell on it. It was just like all right here it is go! Like you do not have time to stop and re think this so it was good and I think it was blessing in disguise

2.     Who in your family was the most excited when they found out about your role?!

Mena -I woke up my parents at 3 am because I had wrapped on another film that I was finishing up I came home. My dad I have never seen him more excited! He jumped out of the bed and gave me a hug. I think of my mom was half sleeping and half crying. She was like ‘really?!’

Naomi –I think everyone may have told a few people what was going on at the time but my favorite reaction one was my friend Adrian who literally just went ‘girl bye’ and then just hung up in there and it was good 15 mins before he rang me back. The other one was my friend shelly who just burst out crying and my brother as usual the only reason he cared I was in the movie was because of will! He literally doesn’t~ he is not that keen about what I do apart from the fact that I am in a movie with will smith. He is the biggest will smith fan in the world!

Will Smith – For me the major thing was how huge and perfect the character robin William’s had already played in the movie and I have been in these situations before where things have come up where you have roles with people have nostalgic emotional connection to and I love robin Williams. I love what he did with the genie and I question I always I ask myself with those kinds of roles is ‘is there any meat left on the bone’ can you do a service to the love and nostalgia that is connected to it while at the same time bringing something new to the next generation. I felt it a little bit Muhammad ail when I played ailthat was absolutely terrifying and then I have never felt it in a strange way even more so with the genie because the character becomes engrained in people’s hearts and people’s minds in a way that in a way like it’s a family member so I was terrified in that sense and I watched the movie in about 10 times and I did feel that because it was live action and there is such a distinct character that I have played historically I thought it would fit nicely in the modernizing of the genie where I could pay homage to robin and honor the widely respected depiction while at the same time bring something new.

3.     What was the most memorable day of shooting on the set?!

Naomi– I would say shooting ‘Speechless’ because it was a very emotional day. Also what was really cool about was that one shot and then there was a handheld camera following my 360 degrees. I think I just felt like I had to give myself some space getting to the zone because I was singing the first half live as well which is difficult as well because I was kind of being moved around so you try to control your voice and then going into the song. I just had to give everything. I think I had veins~ the end result it felt like ‘oof’. I think that song is really important to that character because it is that point she kind of comes into her own and she is constantly being shut down and people can relate to that!

4.     Mena, tell me about the line “My sultan, Jafar is not who he says he is!”

Mena – So you have heard the story! yeah it was a really intense moment of very dramatic scene and I think I had a few long days and I came in just completely fumbled the line. Will would not let it go! I think I said something like ‘hem whom nom seem him is‘ It did come out like that and then we just couldn’t stop laughing and Will actually got it made into a T shirts as wrap up gift. I do wear it, it’s part of my pajamas. I can’t wear it out though otherwise people would be like ‘What is that?!’

5.     What film would you like to be in if you had the choice?! What if Aladdin was in it?!

Mena –Maybe Inglorious Basterdslike Quentin Tarantino that is one of my favorite films of all time and the character work in that is amazing so I would love to do that. If Aladdin was in it, that would be a little weird we would have to mature it up a little bit.