Disney has come under fire for casting a white actor in their upcoming live-action remake of Aladdin.
Billy Magnussen has been cast as Prince Anders, a character not featured in the 1992 animated version, who has been especially created for this new version.
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The Telegraph reports Magnussen's character would be Aladdin's rival to winning over Princess Jasmine's heart.
It was previously reported that producers had been intending to feature a cast entirely made up of people of colour. No white characters have ever existed in previous Aladdin stories, including the original 'Aladdin and the Magic Lamp' from One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of Middle Eastern folk stories.
Producers have also been previously criticised over false reports that Tom Hardy would be playing the villainous Jafar, the role that actually went to Marwan Kenzari.
Predictably, there has been some Twitter outrage over the news, with people questioning why Disney felt the need to invent a white character.
The film, which was set to be directed by Madonna's former husband, Guy Ritchie, does not have a release date yet.
Newshub.
