Will Smithis offering some no-nonsense advice to hisAladdincostarMena Massoudafter the younger actor said he’s had no auditions since his part in the live-action Disney remake.
Despite the many challenges that come with making it in Hollywood, Smith — who arrived at the premiere in an Audi Q7 — said it’s important to never give up.
Massoud, 28, made headlines on Tuesday after he revealed in an interview with The Daily Beast thatno new opportunities have come his waysinceAladdinwas released, despite the movie crossing the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office.
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“I’m kind of tired of staying quiet about it,” he told the outlet. “I want people to know that it’s not always dandelions and roses when you’re doing something likeAladdin. ‘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 sinceAladdincame out.”
He later added: “The big truth is I haven’t really seen a big anything from [Aladdin].”
Massoud said that when he tells others about the lack of casting interest after his major Hollywood breakout, they don’t believe him.
“It’s wild to a lot of people,” he said. “People have these ideas in their head. It’s like, I’m sitting here being like, okay,Aladdinjust hit $1 billion — can I at least get an audition? Like I’m not expecting you to be like, ‘Here’s Batman.’ But can I just get in the room? … Can you just give me a chance?”
Disney
The actor said his Middle Eastern background often makes him the “wild card” in a casting call with mostly white candidates — and it often leads to roles limited to characters like terrorists, which he has no interest in portraying in his work moving forward.
“There’s always a wild card or two when you’re casting,” he said. “… In a room of Caucasian guys, a director might be like, ‘Okay, let’s see, like, two guys who aren’t.’ And maybe they’ll be the wild card choice.”
Massoud is now set to appear oppositeAbigail Breslinin Hulu’s new revenge seriesReprisal— a role he earned prior toAladdin‘s release when the casting directors didn’t know who he was yet.
“I feel like I’m going to be overlooked and underestimated for a long time because I am a young actor,” he told The Daily Beast. “I’m an up-and-comer in the sense that I’ve been doing this for 10 years, but to a lot of people,Aladdin‘s the first thing they’ve seen me in. So I think I’m going to be viewed that way for a long time. I’m going to have to work at chipping away at that.”
source: people.com
