Tom Cruise inspired a famous Disney character, here’s which one

Returning to cinemas this week in Mission: Impossible 7, where he pulls off even more dizzying stunts, Tom Cruise continues to delight the public at age 60.

Almost four decades earlier, in the late 80s, the American actor had already captivated the whole world, and especially thanks to his role as a fighter pilot in Tony Scott’s famous Top Gun, the sequel of which recently collected a billion dollars. at the worldwide box office.

This remarkable performance, which is still regarded as one of his greatest, could have been the inspiration for many other feature films, sometimes crossing the boundaries of live-action films.

Indeed, in the early 90s, when Disney studio artists were just entering a new golden age and trying to bring their new hero – young Aladdin – to life, they decided to study pace, attitude and physicality. An appearance by Tom Cruise to reveal their character.

As they handed over the microphone Los Angeles Times In 1992, creating Aladdin was, at the time, a colossal challenge for them. At the start of production, the main character of their new movie made a really weird appearance alongside the gorgeous Princess Jasmine, the charismatic Jafar, and of course the hilarious Genie.

“I originally envisioned him as a Michael J. Fox character, rather short but with a big ego and a lot of dreams.”Thus entrusted to the legendary animator Glenn Keane, who is responsible for the character and who has previously given life to the villain Rattigan, the little mermaid Ariel or even the Beast (Beauty and the Beast).

Considered too juvenile, his first version of Aladdin failed to convince producer Jeffrey Katzenberg. always accordingly Los Angeles TimesSo the latter suggested that Keene should look elsewhere for inspiration, specifically Tom Cruise’s performance in Top Gun:

“I noticed in all his poses that he had such confidence”Glen Keane said. “A scowl that gave him intensity, and at the same time a smile that looked a little mischievous, like he had more than one trick up his sleeve.”

30 years from now, when you see Aladdin sprinting through the streets of Agrabah to escape the guards, jumping from rooftop to rooftop or doing loops on his magic carpet, remember that there’s a little (a lot?) of Tom Cruise in him.

He’s also far from the only Disney studio character inspired by a flesh-and-blood comedian.

(Re)discover all the hidden details of ‘Aladdin’…