Disney defends controversial decision to "make up" white actors in 'Aladdin'

January 8, 2018

[Photo by: Disney]

Disney has shared a statement confirming that white actors were “made up” in order to blend into crowd scenes in the forthcoming live-action Aladdin movie.

And that's not OK.

Film extra Kaushal Odedra tells BBC he saw “around twenty” actors being made up to look Arabian.

“Aladdin was the perfect time to show diversity but also be accurate,” he says. “They're being out of touch with what's going on around them.”

Disney's response says that they aimed to put together “one of the largest, most diverse casts,” and it was only a “handful of instances” where the crew were “made up to blend in.”

“Great care was taken to put together one of the largest, most diverse casts ever seen on screen,” Disney said in a statement, Deadline reports.

“Diversity of our cast and background performers was a requirement and only in a handful of instances when it was a matter of specialty skills, safety and control (special effects rigs, stunt performers and handling of animals) were crew made up to blend in.”

Actor Kal Penn has shared his thoughts on Disney's controversial decision, with a message we back: “Let's all expect more & do better this year.”

“I love Disney so much. But when a PR person says they decided to put 100 people in Brownface in 2018 because not enough of us are qualified, that’s bs, someone just didn’t want to spend the $ to do it right. Let’s all expect more & do better this year.”

I love @Disney so much. But when a PR person says they decided to put 100 people in Brownface in 2018 because not enough of us are qualified, that’s bs, someone just didn’t want to spend the $ to do it right. Let’s all expect more & do better this year.https://t.co/MzZJp6jvPB

— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) January 7, 2018