Last week news emerged that the star of Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin, Mena Massoud, hasn’t been able to get a single audition, despite playing the lead in a movie that grossed over a billion dollars. People were outraged, and then they were given a reason to be even madder: On Friday word dropped that the film’s sole white character, Prince Anders, played by Billy Magnussen, was getting his own spinoff.
As per Entertainment Weekly, Magnusson’s character — the dimly hilarious visiting royal who tries, and fails, to nab the hand of Naomi Scott’s Princess Jasmine, thus nearly stealing the picture — would be getting his own Disney+ feature, to ensure the streamer has enough new content to amass eyeballs. Good for Magnusson! Meanwhile, his co-star was unloading about his career woes to The Daily Beast.
“I’m kind of tired of staying quiet about it,” Massoud said. “I want people to know that it’s not always dandelions and roses when you’re doing something like Aladdin. ‘He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers.’ It’s none of those things. I haven’t had a single audition since Aladdin came out.”
Granted, Massoud was talking to the publication while promoting the Hulu series Reprisal. But it’s a role he scored before he got the lead in Aladdin. Since then it’s been tumbleweeds.
Social media was quick to notice the disconnect between Massoud’s career path and Magnussen’s.
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) December 6, 2019
There’s literally two animated Aladdin sequels and a whole series that could be adapted but nah let’s give a show to the only white guy https://t.co/oU04Y1zA9X
— ً (@upperupland) December 6, 2019
Just so we’re clear.
Mena Massoud, who starred in the blockbuster ALADDIN remake, can’t get an audition anywhere.
But Billy Magnussen, who plays the white comic relief character they added to the film for no good reason, gets his own spinoff.
— William Bibbiani (@WilliamBibbiani) December 7, 2019
Aladdin makes a billion and they somehow find a way to give a white guy a spinoff. pic.twitter.com/wjvdyTh5fH
— Ami🌸 (@Amic_8197) December 6, 2019
Actual Aladdin can't get an audition but the token white dude gets his own series?
Haha fuck you, Hollywood. You're racist. https://t.co/sCIGI8UWd1
— Hanna Ines Flint – Free 🇵🇸 (@HannaFlint) December 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/MxKantEven/status/1203095368084246528
https://twitter.com/TheGripmonster/status/1203095186169053185
https://twitter.com/kiddnubian/status/1203118857017339905
Very cool that Disney’s creating a show for the sole white character in the movie while the lead of a major budget film produced by a billion dollar company can’t even get work because of stereotypinghttps://t.co/CsfufvsasY
— andrew (@evildeadfan01) December 6, 2019
(Via EW)
