Will Smith found it "daunting" taking on the role of the genie in Aladdin

10 May 2019, 11:42

The actor has revealed that following Robin Williams’ performance in the Disney cartoon has been quite “stressful”.

Will Smith has been explaining how "daunting" he found it taking on the role of the genie in the new live action reboot of Aladdin - because the late Robin Williams' performance was so memorable.

Speaking at the European premiere of the movie in London's Leicester Square on Thursday (9 May 2019), the actor admitted it was "stressful" to have been cast as the iconic character in Guy Ritchie's live action take on the classic tale and worried he wouldn't be able to match the performance given by the late Robin Williams in the 1992 animated adventure.

Smith said: "'The genie will say anything or do anything, there's a certain madness to the genie - that was the fun that Robin Williams created so I was trying to find what that meant, with a little more of a Fresh Prince flavour to it.

"I wanted to create something that was both nostalgic but also had a little bit new school sometimes...

"It was quite stressful and daunting. Robin Williams did not leave much room to improve on the Genie.

"Fun is what Robin Williams did so well with the Genie and I've been trying so hard to capture that and give it my flavour."

The actor also explained that the director had a set idea on the way Smith should look: "Guy had a very specific take on what how wanted the genie to look like.

"A 1970s bodybuilder where his upper body is huge and his lower body really small - they did no leg day. That was his comedic value."