Will Smith Responds to Co-Star Mena Massoud’s Claim That He Hasn’t Had Any Auditions Since ‘Aladdin’

Will Smith Responds to Co-Star Mena Massoud’s Claim That He Hasn’t Had Any Auditions Since ‘Aladdin’

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Will Smith has spoken out in support of his “Aladdin” co-star Mena Massoud, who said in an interview that he hasn’t had a single audition since he starred in the Disney live-action remake, which hit theaters back in May.

When told about Massoud’s claim on the red carpet for his upcoming animated film “Spies in Disguise,” Smith said he hadn’t yet heard of Massoud’s plight but had some encouraging words for the actor.

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“He is a spectacular actor, and he has nothing to worry about,” Smith said.

Massoud revealed that despite “Aladdin’s” massive box office success — the film has earned over $1 billion globally — no one seems to be knocking on his doors for roles.

“I’m kind of tired of staying quiet about it,” he said. “I want people to know that it’s not always dandelions and roses when you’re doing something like ‘Aladdin.’ ‘He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers.’ It’s none of those things. I haven’t had a single audition since ‘Aladdin’ came out.”

Massoud will appear in Hulu’s upcoming series “Reprisal,” but he booked that role before “Aladdin” debuted.

“It’s wild to a lot of people,” said the actor, who beat out 2,000 others for the lead role in “Aladdin.” “People have these ideas in their head. It’s like, I’m sitting here being like, OK, ‘Aladdin’ just hit $1 billion. Can I at least get an audition? Like I’m not expecting you to be like, here’s Batman. But can I just get in the room? Like, can you just give me a chance? So it’s not always what you think.”

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