Disney’s 1992 classic Aladdin is one of the most enchanting animated movies to ever exist. Interestingly, it is not widely known that the lead character of Aladdin drew inspiration from none other than Tom Cruise. The animators turned to Cruise for inspiration as it was no small feat to craft the timeless character. But turns out, that the MI star wasn’t the first choice, but it was Back to the Future star, Michael J. Fox, who was being drafted for the visual base for the character initially. But this initial choice that ended up on the cutting room floor lacked the captivating charm the animators were aiming for.
While it may sound a bit blunt, the creator of these characters wanted to infuse more than just intelligence into Aladdin, not just to make him visually pleasing but to make him a worthy “prince” for the breathtaking Princess Jasmine.
Aladdin Was Originally Based on Michael J. Fox
Undoubtedly, the “street rat” of Argraba who fell in love with a Princess with a little help from a Genie stands as Disney’s finest prince creation to this day. His lightning-quick wit and irresistible charm had audiences swooning. Yet, Aladdin’s path to perfection had a lot of potholes and was far from a smooth ride. The animators had to try out many different things to come to the conclusion of what fit the character best. In a LA Times interview, animator Glen Keane stated,
“I originally was thinking of him like a Michael J. Fox character, short in stature but with a big ego and lots of dreams,”
The character wasn’t initially the one everyone was familiar with. The creators aspired for Aladin to embody that relatable quality that made Michael J. Fox characters so enduring. Originally envisioned as the short 18-year-old boy with a hopeful gaze, that although melted hearts, did not fit the bill. They soon realized, that it may bring forth pity from the Princess rather than love, and that is where Tom Cruise came in.
Why Michael J. Fox Was Rejected, and Tom Cruise Was Brought In?
The then chairman of Disney, Jeffrey Katzenberg, strongly believed they needed something fresh and the idea they had would not be working. In search of something fresh and new, the animators stumbled upon Tom Cruise. He said, in an interview as stated by LA Times,
“Aladdin was the least interesting person in the movie,–Whenever he was in a scene with Jasmine she so overwhelmed him with her personality and intelligence, it was like he wasn’t even in the scene. He was transparent. You didn’t care about him. Now, how do you have a movie called ‘Aladdin’ where Aladdin isn’t worth caring about?”
And that is what inspired them to change course. In A Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin documentary he was seen saying,
“You’ve got Julia Roberts and Michael J. Fox,—You need Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts!”
This is where the story truly began. The animators started to shape Aladdin in a completely new way and what happened next became a significant part of the animation history.
Aladdin is available on Disney+ to stream.
Source: LA Times and A Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin documentary
