Meet the Canadian actor who will be the star of Disney's new Aladdin movie
Mena Massoud will star alongside Will Smith and Naomi Scott in the live-action remake.
By Melody Lau
Back in March, Disney, director Guy Ritchie and casting director Randi Hiller set off to look for the star of their upcoming live-action remake of the 1992 animated hit, Aladdin. They were specific in their search for their leading man: an actor in his 20s who can act and sing and who is of Middle-Eastern or Indian descent. They searched all around the world, from America to Egypt, and after seeing many actors read for the part, they finally announced their star this past weekend during the D23 Expo.
Meet Mena Massoud, your new Aladdin.
Massoud was born in Egypt but grew up in Markham, Ont. He attended Ryerson University's School of Performance in Toronto. His resume includes roles on Nikita, The 99, Open Heart, Saving Hope and Jack Ryan.
Following the announcement, Massoud took to Twitter to share his gratitude for the role. "So honoured & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again," he wrote.
So honored & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let's get to work! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aladdin?src=hash">#Aladdin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Disney?src=hash">#Disney</a> <a href="https://t.co/itxmiDHtLL">https://t.co/itxmiDHtLL</a>
—@MenaMassoudAladdin will also star Power Rangers star Naomi Scott as Jasmine and Will Smith as Genie.