Entertainment

Robin Williams secret magic behind Genie in 'Aladdin' revealed

Robin Williams took the script of 'Aladdin' as Genie far away from what the makers imagined

Published August 25, 2026
Robin Williams secret magic behind Genie in Aladdin revealed
Robin Williams secret magic behind Genie in 'Aladdin' revealed

Late Robin Williams was magical as Genie in the iconic Disney movie Aladdin. But there is more to it than meets the eye.

Eric Goldberg, animator at the studio, recalls the actor's extraordinary improvisations on set that stunned him.

In an interview with People, he said, “Working with Robin Williams as the Genie’s voice was amazing."

Whenever the late actor was in the recording room, Goldberg recalled, “It all comes out 100%, and he spoiled us for choice.”

And what a genius Williams was, the animator recounted, was the changes he brought to Genie behind the scenes.

Originally, the character was not flamboyant. In Goldberg's words, “we imagined him as a puff of smoke that can transform and do anything.”

“John Musker and Ron Clements wrote the character with archetypes like, ‘He’s an evangelist, he’s an army sergeant, he’s a game show host.’"

Then Williams showed his magic.

He initially shocked them with several famous-person impersonations to add Genie traits.

"But when Robin first recorded, out came all the celebrity impressions and we went, ‘We can’t not use this stuff. This has to be in the movie.'"

Aladdin, at the time, led cinemagoers into an experience they hardly imagined.

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