Disney has sent out a casting notice for the roles of Aladdin and Princess Jasmine for its previously announced live-action remake of Aladdin. To be helmed by Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie, the film will be a movie musical based on the original Oscar-winning 1992 animated feature, which featured a score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice.
Alright kids, if you know someone who fits this, you better share this with them. Submit asap. Good luck my babies pic.twitter.com/PLP37ritcV
— Dani Fernandez (@msdanifernandez) March 9, 2017
The casting notice from Cindy Tolan Casting calls for actors between the ages of 18-25 who can sing with dance experience. Rehearsals are set to begin in April ahead of a six-month shooting period in the U.K. between July–January 2018.
Actors wishing to submit must email a photo and video of themselves singing to [email protected]. CTC casting, whose credits include A View From the Bridge, All My Sons, and Avenue Q, is based in New York City.
The mention of ethnicity—“the characters are Middle Eastern”—on the casting notice follows concern raised that the film may be “whitewashed.” After initial reports of the Aladdin remake, a Care2 petition emerged pleading with Disney to authentically cast Middle Eastern actors and garnered over 17,000 signatures.
Read More: PETITION ASKS DISNEY NOT TO WHITEWASH LIVE-ACTION ALADDIN