Disney is in the midst of filming a live-action version of Aladdin, the beloved childhood classic of basically every millennial. Significant excitement and relief have been felt by eager fans when the lead cast was rightfully revealed to be predominately Middle Eastern and people of color.
However, according to the Sunday Times, actors have been making claims that Disney has been tanning white actors who are extras in the fictional city of Agrabah, where the film takes place.
This troubling statement comes from Kaushal Odedra, a stand-in for a lead in the film who said he saw a line of several “very fair-skinned” actors who were waiting to be tanned. After commenting to a Saudi cast member about the situation, he agreed that it was an unfortunate circumstance.
Disney released a statement on the matter, saying, “Great care was taken to put together one of the largest most diverse casts ever seen on screen [for Aladdin]. The 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,” the statement reads. “This is the most diverse cast ever assembled for a Disney live-action production. More than 400 of the 500 background performers were Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and Asian.”
Despite Disney’s insistence regarding Aladdin’s diversity, it’s still unacceptable to hear that they are whitewashing a movie that takes place in the Middle East and should, therefore, have a cast made up of those actors — and they definitely shouldn’t be darkening anyone’s skin to hide their casting decision.