Former As the World Turns star Billy Magnussen (ex-Casey Hughes) has landed another silver screen role. Magnussen has joined the cast of Disney's live-action Aladdin film.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the ATWT alum will play Prince Anders, an original character not seen in the 1992 animated version.
The casting is not without controversy. Critics have taken to social media to decry the need to create a Caucasian character in a story that takes place in the Middle East. In fact, there is a petition circulating to get the show's producers to reconsider adding the new character.
Since ATWT went off the air, Magnussen has remained busy. He earned a Tony nomination earlier this year for his work in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. He's appeared in the movie musical Into the Woods and will hit the screen in March 2018 opposite Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in the comedy Game Night.
The Guy Ritchie-directed version of Aladdin will star relative newcomer Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as the villainous Jafar, and Will Smith as Genie. Smith posted a photo of himself and his three co-headliners on Facebook.
Filming on Aladdin has just gotten underway. A release date has not been set.
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