Aladdin star Mena Massoud revealed in an interview that Disney had to give him the go-ahead before he could get involved in Hulu’s new series Reprisal.
Massoud starred in Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin and it went on to become one of the year’s most successful movies despite its lead star being relatively unknown.
Massoud stars as Ethan Hart in Hulu’s gangster thriller Reprisal, a series that follows a woman seeking revenge after being left for dead by her brother and his gang.
While speaking with The Daily Beast, Massoud said Disney was hesitant about his involvement because of the show’s violent content. Massoud’s transitioning to a mature show after his main role in one of its family-oriented films gave the company concerns.
Josh Corbin, the creator of Reprisal, didn’t understand why there was an issue with Massoud’s casting as the audition had taken place before the release of Aladdin.
Disney’s control over its stars is no doubt connected with its goal of maintaining its image as a family-friendly entertainment company but this may result in clashes with the actors in question.
Massoud also revealed that things haven’t been easy like he thought they would be after the success of Aladdin as he is yet to be called for an interview. But he added that he was grateful to have played Aladdin, especially given the fact that he was chosen out of thousands of actors.
Mena Massoud was born in Cairo, Egypt and has two older sisters. His family immigrated to Canada when he was three years old. He is best known for portraying the eponymous character in the fantasy movie Aladdin.
Reprisal is set to premiere on Hulu tomorrow, December 6, 2019. The official trailer can be viewed below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuNIbAisAs
