Disney’s reboot of Aladdin is coming closer, and so far their casting choices have been great. However, their latest choice in casting has caused a bit of a stir online.
The Hollywood Reporter announced Tuesday that Billy Magnussen would be cast as Prince Anders. He played Rapunzel’s prince in Into the Woods and has had a few television spots.
Not much information has been provided about the character, but The Hollywood Reporter did state “Prince Ali has got some competition.”
Don’t remember Prince Anders in the original animated film? You aren’t going crazy. This character didn’t exist in that version. He was created solely for the live-action reboot.
A large portion of the audience doesn’t like this new development and have aired their grievances. Some have even called it “unnecessary” and a “gentrification of Agrabah” due to the actor being white. Others have pointed out that Beauty and the Beast stayed close to the original and wonder why Aladdin should be treated differently.
Ugh. No. More. #Whitewashing. White actors in Hollywood: you owe it to your counterparts OC to stop taking these roles. #Aladdin https://t.co/LNX9SYlaJv
— Max Wojtanowicz (@maxwhattimeisit) September 7, 2017
GOD I AM SO SICK OF WHITEWASHING!! @Disney #Aladdin isn’t exactly the worst occurrence, but I’m fuming nonetheless!
— Vaneet Mehta (@nintendomad888) September 7, 2017
Really @Disney? So terrified of a movie w/o a white guy that you created a new white character for #Aladdin? #WhiteWashing
— Percival Constantine (@perconstantine) September 7, 2017
they did not just rewrite Aladdin?? Just to add a white person into it?? Right in front of my salad?? https://t.co/bmoTX8gaT2
— #defendDACA (@VancityReynIds) September 6, 2017
Why did they add a white prince to #Aladdin? This is going to be a disaster ♂️ pic.twitter.com/0Hjrs2FNzT
— Jovanny Evans (@jobonito) September 6, 2017
This new character for #aladdin makes me sad to be white, the Aladdin world has no white people sorry but we don’t need to be in everything pic.twitter.com/jaj2JWqn6m
— Ashley ®© ➰ (@Ashleyfangirl) September 6, 2017
Why did Disney feel the need to add new character to the Aladdin movie? And yes he’s white
— DConner89 (@TaureanReign) September 6, 2017
Should #actor Billy Magnussen step down as ‘Prince Anders’ the newly created white character in #Aladdin? #Disney #Hollywood
— Jeetendr Sehdev (@JeetendrSehdev) September 6, 2017
Aladdin has seen controversy before. Over the summer, the film had difficulty finding an actor to fill the title role. Mena Massoud eventually took this spot, and Marwan Kenzari has been chosen to play as Jafar. Jasmine will be played by Naomi Scott, which garnered outrage over a woman of Middle Eastern descent being shoe-horned into a stereotype.
Prince Anders’ place in the film is unclear, but it doesn’t go a long way toward showing racial change in Hollywood. There is definite pressure to show diversity and equality. Disney doesn’t seem too concerned with their responsibility toward this.