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Will Smith might be the most famous name attached to Disney's live-action Aladdin, in theaters now, but it's 27-year-old Mena Massoud—Aladdin himself—whom you'll want to know about once you've seen the stunning remake of the 1992 original.
So here are some quick facts: Massoud was born in Cairo and moved to Canada with his family at a young age. He loves to cook. Oh, and he aspired to be a neuroscientist—not an actor—before making a career switch. Even though playing Aladdin in a live-action remake may not have been a dream of his as a kid, the character still made a big impression. "My two older sisters would watch Aladdin all the time in our house before I could even walk and talk, so I grew up with it," he tells me. "I was very different than everybody else growing up. I spoke a different language at home, I ate different food, and I looked different. So I could always relate to Aladdin in that way, being the outcast. It means a lot to me to be able to portray that now for the younger generation."
Massoud's biggest role prior to Aladdin was six episodes of Amazon Prime's Jack Ryan, but he was game for everything the job required—including working 15-hour days, six days a week, in extreme climates. "It felt like being back in theater school times 100 because it was so intense," Massoud says of the singing, dancing, and stunt work he had to do for the part. "But the best dance movies for me growing up were the Step Up movies, and their prolific choreographer, Jamal Sims, also led our team."
So what else is there to uncover about Massoud? Plenty. Read on.
Glamour: You had two days to pack for six months of shooting because of Will Smith’s schedule. What essential items did you make sure to bring?
Mena Massoud: My boots, my gym gear, my boxing mitts. Also, my hair products because I’m very specific about the shampoo and conditioner that I use.
You had to get a Brazilian straightening treatment to transform into Aladdin. So what kind of hair products did you bring?
MM: Yep, that’s right. I didn’t know, obviously, what they used to straighten it, but I used Davines shampoo and conditioner, and I kind of stick to it. My hair was long at the time, so I used those mini scrunchies to tie it up in a bun.
During filming, how long did it take the stylists to make your hair Aladdin perfect?
MM: Each day it would depend if we were straightening it, so about an hour, maybe. But the overall process of getting it straight is pretty extensive. We only had about a week and a half of reshoots, but I was in London for five weeks because they were so stressed they wouldn’t be able to get my hair straight again. [Laughs.]
Did you shave your head when you were finished, or did the curls come back naturally?
MM: It took a while, probably a year, to bounce back fully. But I’m getting it chemically straightened again for Reprisal, the show I’m doing on Hulu. I can’t seem to escape straight hair for the next few years. People don’t realize [the sacrifice]! [Laughs.] I want to shave it off, though. I want to book a character in the future where I can just buzz my hair.
Will Smith plays the Genie to your Aladdin. What was your first meeting like?
MM: I’ve been watching his films since I was a kid, so I was quite nervous. I get really quiet when I’m nervous. I don’t freak out. But when we met, I was so nervous that I forgot to tell him who I was. I went over to him and [director] Guy Ritchie was there, and I thought, OK, Guy will break the ice. He’ll introduce me to Will. Well, he did not. He just stood there smiling. I think he wanted to see how I would handle it. And of course, I forgot to introduce myself. [I’m pretty sure] Will thought I was one of the dancers. I had to regroup. Once I came back, I said, "Oh, by the way, I’m Mena. I’m playing Aladdin." [Laughs.] He gave me a big hug and started talking.
You love cooking and are vegan. Let’s say Will Smith is coming over for dinner. What do you make him?
MM: Oooh, that’s tough. Will likes his Philly cheese steaks, so I think I would do a stir-fry with Gardein beef. It’s meatless beef, so I would do a stir-fry on a bed of brown rice with that, red peppers, onions, jalapeño peppers, shallots, garlic, and I would stir that up.
What time am I coming over? This sounds amazing.
MM: Yeah, I love to cook! One of the reasons I started [the online vegan community] Evolving Vegan is that it’s a form of meditation for me.
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Speaking of going vegan, what was your mom's reaction?
MM: I shocked my parents with a lot of things, whether it was becoming an actor or when I was dating someone outside the Egyptian community or when I moved away from home before getting married. So I already shocked them a lot. When I told my mom I was going vegan, she didn’t exactly want to let go of that one thing. I remember it was Easter dinner, when she cooks duck and lamb and turkey, and she was like, “So what are you going to have for Easter dinner?” And I was like, “If you just make your lasagna without the beef….” And she was like, “No, I’m not going to do that.” So I said, “OK, I’ll just have rice then.” When we got home from church, I just started having rice. She offered me all these different things, and [when I wouldn't eat it] she just started crying. [Laughs.] She thought I was going to crack and [give in] to her delicious home-cooked meal. But ever since, she’s been making me whatever I request. Classic Egyptian or Italian or Greek or Mediterranean mom—that’s how they show their love.
Speaking of shocking your mom, you were originally studying neuroscience in Toronto before you decided to study acting. How did that switch in careers happen?
MM: Before you get to university or college, you have to study the appropriate subject in high school. I was in AP chemistry in high school, and I really liked it. But when I got to the University of Toronto, I was already kind of missing out. One of my best friends got into theater school, but I went off to do neuroscience. So I was always kind of [like], Oh man, I regret not doing it. I was sitting in calculus class one day, and calculus is like math for astrophysicists. Why you have to do it to become a doctor, I have no idea. The professor was talking about infinity times infinity and this and that, and I was like, There’s no way I’m doing this for the rest of my life. So I went back to my high school, told my high school teacher that I wanted to audition for theater school, and we put together my audition. I didn’t tell my parents I was auditioning in case I didn’t get in. There was no point in upsetting them for no reason. But then I got in, told my parents, and the rest is history.
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I'd say it paid off. And now that you're playing Aladdin, we have to talk about your trusty sidekick, Abu. If you could recruit him to do anything for you, what would it be and why?
MM: Laundry. I don’t like folding laundry, so I’d probably get him to do that. Maybe if I taught him a simple recipe like guacamole, he’d learn how to make that before I got home.
You never actually worked with a real monkey during filming, right?
MM: It was CGI. We worked with puppeteers for six weeks. I actually looked into getting a capuchin monkey, which is the monkey Abu is, but it’s illegal in most states in America. I mean, it is legal in some states, but…just for people to know. [Laughs.]
Good to know! What song from the movie got stuck in your head while filming?
MM: “A Whole New World,” definitely. We spent two weeks on that number. Most other numbers we spent four or five days. It’s also the most nostalgic number for people.
You have great chemistry with Naomi Scott, who plays Princess Jasmine. Fans are going to want to know if you’re single.
MM: I am, yes. She’s married, however, so I just want to make that clear. [Laughs.]
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How will someone know that you’re into them? How do you step up your game?
MM: I try to be funny. Even if I’m meeting you for the first time, you can tell [I like you] because I’m trying to be funny.
Who is your TV crush?
MM: Right now it’s Jodie Comer [who plays Villanelle] from Killing Eve. She’s incredibly talented, and I’d love to work with her one day.
Didn’t you tell me you were a big fan of Rachel Brosnahan from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?
MM: I did, I did! I had a huge crush on Rachel Brosnahan, but she’s married. Everyone I’m into is married. There’s no escaping it. [Laughs.]
Last question: What did you take with you from the film?
MM: I requested a lot of things and didn’t get any of them. I had to sneak away a few things, but I don’t want to bait myself out. [Laughs.] I would love the lamp, obviously, but I didn’t get that.
You could have just said that sneaking things from set was part of your research to play Aladdin. He is a thief, remember.
MM: That’s true. Hopefully there’s a sequel, and that’s the first thing I’ll do.
Would you do a sequel?
MM: Oh, for sure. Absolutely!
Jessica Radloff is the West Coast editor at Glamour. You can follow her on Instagram at @jessicaradloff14 or on Twitter at @JRadloff.
