Will Smith Man In The Lamp

In Weaving His Own Magic as Aladdin’s Beloved Genie, Will Was Granted a Wish He Never Knew He Had

- Katie Ellis

When Will Smith landed the role of Genie in the live-action remake of Aladdin, he knew he had a big lamp to fill. The boisterous blue wish-granter was specifically written for the late Robin Williams (he played the Disney djinn in the 1992 animation), and so the pressure to do his iconic role justice wasn’t lost on Will, who confessed it was a ‘terrifying’ challenge. But the charismatic actor has a long history of wooing audiences over – starting from the time his ‘life got flipped-turned upside down.’

As The Fresh Prince, the rapper proved he had the chops to make it as an actor. Before long, the versatile star hit the big screen, headlining blockbusters such as Bad Boys and Men in Black. Will also earned critical acclaim for his titular role in Ali.

But it’s Aladdin that’s opened up ‘a whole new world’ for Will, who says he was afforded the opportunity to apply everything he’s ever learnt from showbiz.

Here, the ever-charming funnyman, who turned the big 5-0 last year, dishes on what he brings to the table in his adaptation of everyone’s favourite genie…

What was it like following in the footsteps of the deeply missed Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin?

It was terrifying to follow Robin and to play such an iconic character, but hopefully I pulled it off. I think we found a way to pay homage to Robin while at the same time doing something new with Aladdin. This being live-action and not animation makes our movie very different in an exciting way, too, I think.

What attracted you to the role?