TimeOut Dubai Kids – June 2019

Time Out UAE Kids June 2019 67

instalment of Charlie’s Angels alongside

Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska later this

year, explains how her character has evolved

since the original animated version.

“I felt the power of watching Jasmine and

I wanted to keep that same feeling and just

modernise her,” says the Hounslow-born star.

“In the first film, she’s fighting for the right

to marry who she wants to marry, which is

great, but in this version she’s even more

ambitious; she wants to lead her people.

She’s thinking outside of herself and faces

even more of a challenge fighting against

the idea that she can’t lead because she’s a

woman, which we know isn’t true.”

Smith, who regularly visits the UAE, is

tasked with playing The Genie, following

in the footsteps of the late, great Robin

Williams, who executed the role with such

aplomb the first time around. He speaks

about what convinced him to take on such a

challenging, tricky job.

“[Following Williams] was one of the things

about the film in general that was attractive

to me, the ideas,” he says. “When I look at

The Genie and what he represents, it really

is the definition of unconditional love, when

somebody is going to dedicate all of their

gifts and energy so that somebody else can

have all the things they dream of.

“I connected to the aspect in The Genie

of the desire to grant wishes because that’s

what you do, and that’s what you have to

do, but it hurts when people misuse them.”

“That’s what I’m seeking in my life right now,

I want to be able to give my gifts but I hope

they will be received well.”

Director Ritchie, meanwhile, had the tough

task of making sure Smith’s version of The

Genie was familiar, but that it also had its

own thing going on.

“Will’s principle concern was making

sure he didn’t disturb the nostalgia and,

essentially, brilliance of Robin’s performance.

So, my job was to encourage Will to be

more Will, which was one step to the left or

one step to the right of where Robin was.

Needless to say, I’m a big fan of Will so I was

there to encourage more of him in the role,”

says Ritchie.

O Aladdin is in cinemas across the UAE now.

“I felt the

power of

watching

Jasmine”

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