Mena Massoud, aka the charming street rat who danced his way into our hearts (and a billion-dollar box office), had a big ol’ lightbulb moment about life after his Aladdin success. Spoiler alert: being a Disney prince doesn’t come with unlimited job offers.
The 33-year-old actor spilled some tea at a screening of his new movie Wish You Were Here, revealing he went through what he calls a “mentality shift.” Translation: When the auditions weren’t rolling in, he decided to stop sulking like Jafar when the lamp slipped through his fingers.
“I had to shift my thinking,” Mena told People. “You can either dwell on the fact that you’re not being asked to audition for every role in Hollywood, or you can focus on the positives—like the fact that you’ve never accidentally wished yourself into a llama or something. Perspective, people!”
Mena also reminisced about his Aladdin days. “We filmed it back in 2017—eight years ago! I was just a young guy then, not realizing the industry’s ups and downs are like riding a magic carpet with a broken GPS. But now? I’ve matured. I mean, how lucky are we to do what we love, even when it’s frustrating?”
He didn’t outright say, “It’s a whole new world,” but let’s be real, the vibe was there.
As for his latest film, Wish You Were Here, it’s officially in theaters now! No magic lamps required—just grab some popcorn and support your boy Mena as he shows Hollywood that there’s more to him than a flying carpet and a catchy tune.
