Aladdin is a Canadian!

Disney has finally announced the cast for the live action adaption of Aladdin. True to the rumours that they wanted to cast an ‘unknown’ as Aladdin, they’ve chosen Canadian Mena Massoud.

Mena Massoud announced as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, and Will Smith as Genie in live-action Aladdin! #D23Expo

— Disney (@Disney) July 15, 2017

So honored & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let’s get to work! #Aladdin #Disney https://t.co/itxmiDHtLL

— Mena Massoud (@MenaMassoud) July 15, 2017

Massoud was born in Egypt and moved to Canada when he was three. He grew up in Markham.

It was in that moment, as he looked into her eyes, that he saw a soul so beautfully captivating that he could not but help remember the vastness of the galaxies above. The stars that shined as bright as her two illuminating eyes. Find your inspiration. Use it to drive your passion. Go out and get it. #passion #drive #focus #poetry

A post shared by Mena Massoud (@menamassey) on Dec 28, 2016 at 7:20pm PST

Look at the bright side ☉ #losangeles #venice #beach #color

A post shared by Mena Massoud (@menamassey) on Feb 13, 2017 at 2:53pm PST

Will Smith will be playing Genie and, British Indian actor, Naomi Scott will play Jasmine. Scott was in the new Power Rangers movie that came out earlier this year.

Congrats to @NaomiScott – from the #PowerRangersMovie to Jasmine in @Disney‘s Aladdin! pic.twitter.com/8mY2M5Q9G5

— Power Rangers NOW (@PowerRangersNOW) July 15, 2017

And she can sing!

Day 2: ‘Vows’ Tokyo 🇯🇵 Song: @naomigscott Fashion: @zadriansmith Creative: @benjaminthapa

A post shared by Naomi Scott (@naomigscott) on Jul 8, 2017 at 10:42am PDT

Some people are upset that an Arab woman was not chosen. The original Aladdin story is a Middle Eastern tale from The Book of One Thousand and One Night. But some say the cartoon’s fictional country of Agrabah is not specific and that it mixes several cultures together.

i love naomi scott but i don’t love the “brown ppl are interchangeable” idea that hollywood believes in so it’s a no from me lmao

— T’CHALLA 🍑🍯✨ (@dirzacksnyder) July 15, 2017

All these Arab actresses on the planet and they cast half-white, half-Indian Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Indian isn’t middle-eastern, Hollywood.

— Sarah Khatami (@SarahKhatami) July 15, 2017

This is Naomi Scott. She is Indian, and white.

This is Jasmine, she is middle eastern. And not white. #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/MTvfQvyaMt

— Hamza Mussé (@HamzaMusse) July 15, 2017

What do you think about Disney not casting someone of Middle Eastern descent for Jasmine?

Let’s not forget that Beauty and the Beast is set in France (though in the most British French town ever) and they hired a British actor to play Beauty AND despite months of lessons, they still chose to Autotune her vocals.

Aladdin will be in theatres March 29th, 2019.

Are you looking forward to the live-action remake of another Disney classic?

The Lion King and Dumbo are both in the works.