‘Aladdin’ Actress Naomi Scott Talks About Jasmine’s Expanded Character

Last year, Disney debuted the official teaser clip for its live-action Aladdin movie, which stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith as Aladdin’s magical friend, Genie. The movie is expected to follow the same basic premise of the original animated film but fans can expect to see a bit more depth to Princess Jasmine’s character, according to a report from ComicBook.com.

The princess has always been strong-willed, quick to stand up for herself, and challenge old traditions that threatened to rob her of her right to choose, but Scott and the movie’s director, Guy Ritchie, wanted to take the opportunity to create new layers to Jasmine and allow viewers to get to know her a bit better.

During an interview with W Magazine, Scott said it was the perfect time to flesh out “boss lady” tendencies in the character, which led to a new plot-line being added. Audiences will not only see Jasmine standing up for herself but she will also be standing up to Jafar, played by Marwan Kenzari, to protect her kingdom.

“It happened that Disney and Guy and the producers were all of the same mindset in terms of what they wanted for this character,” Scott said.

“That really excited me and made me be like, ‘I’m-a get this role.’ “

The creators also added a new song to show off Jasmine’s layers. The track is titled “Speechless” and is said to be a sort of anthem for the royal character.

“It’s basically her declaration that she’s not going to be silenced, which, as we all know, is a message that’s very important right now,” Scott explained.

“That idea of being a catalyst — if you speak up, maybe I can speak up.”

The film’s official description paints the movie as a “thrilling and vibrant” live-action adaptation of the animated classic.

“Aladdin is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future.”

Scott has appeared in a number of projects, including sci-fi series Terra Nova, Disney TV movie Lemonade Mouth, and the 2017 Power Rangers movie. She also appeared in British mystery series, Inspector Lewis, in 2015. Scott has been singing since she was a child and would often sing in church. She also met her husband, soccer player Jordan Spence, while attending a church event, according to a report from PopSugar.

Aladdin is Scott’s next major on-screen role and the movie hits theaters on May 24.