Princess Jasmine
is a fictional character who appears in
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios unit ...
'
31st animated feature film ''
Aladdin'' (1992). Voiced by American actress
Linda Larkin
Linda Larkin (born March 20, 1970) is an American actress, best known for her role as the speaking voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney's 1992 animated feature film ''Aladdin''.
Career
Larkin began her career in 1990, with the film ''Zapped Agai ...
with a singing voice provided by Filipina singer
Lea Salonga Jasmine is the spirited daughter of
the Sultan, who has grown weary of her life of palace confinement. Despite an age-old law stipulating that the princess must marry a prince in time for her upcoming birthday, Jasmine is instead determined to marry someone she loves for who he is as opposed to what he owns. Created by screenwriters and directors
Ron Clements
Ronald Francis Clements (born April 25, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director John Musker and is best known for writing and directing the Disney films ''The Grea ...
and
John Musker with co-screenwriters
Ted Elliott and
Terry Rossio
Terry Rossio (born July 2, 1960) is an American screenwriter. He co-wrote the films ''Aladdin'', ''Shrek'', and all five of the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for ''Shrek' ...
, Jasmine is based on
Badroulbadour
Badroulbadour / Badr ul-Badour / Badr al-Badur ( ar, بدر البدور ', "full moon of full moons") is a princess whom Aladdin married in ''The Story of Aladdin; or, the Wonderful Lamp''. Her name uses the full moon as a metaphor for female beau ...
, a princess who appears in the ''
One Thousand and One Nights'' folktale "
Aladdin and the Magical Lamp."
Originally conceived as a spoiled,
materialistic princess, the writers eventually rewrote Jasmine into a stronger and more prominent heroine following the elimination of Aladdin's mother from the script, while borrowing story elements from the
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
''
Roman Holiday
''Roman Holiday'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter. Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress f ...
'' (1953). Several months after securing the role, Larkin was nearly fired from the project because Disney executive
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and C ...
felt that her voice was not suitable for a princess, but Clements and Musker managed to convince him otherwise. Discovered by casting director Albert Tavares, Lea Salonga was cast as Jasmine's
singing voice based on her performance in the musical ''
Miss Saigon
''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...
''; this unprecedented casting decision made Jasmine the first Disney Princess to have her speaking and singing voices provided by two different actresses. Animated by
Mark Henn
Mark Alan Henn (born April 6, 1958) is an American animator and film director. His contributions to animation have included several Walt Disney Animation Studios leading or title characters, most notably heroines. His work includes Ariel in '' T ...
, Jasmine's design is an eclectic combination of unique sources, including an anonymous theme park guest, Henn's own sister, and actress
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After having worked as a model for several year ...
.
Unlike most of Disney's princesses, Jasmine is a supporting character in her own film, taking the secondary role of the
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
. The character has garnered mixed to positive reviews, with much of her character arc compared unfavorably to her predecessors
Ariel
Ariel may refer to:
Film and television
*Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award
* ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki
* ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...
from ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a ...
'' (1989) and
Belle from ''
Beauty and the Beast
''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
'' (1991), but has been praised for her personality and her chemistry with
Aladdin. She is the sixth
Disney Princess and the franchise's first non-European member, as well as its first
West Asian
Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes An ...
princess. Due to this, the character is credited with introducing
racial diversity
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
to Disney's princess genre. Jasmine has made subsequent appearances in ''Aladdin''
's
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
s ''
The Return of Jafar
''The Return of Jafar'' (sometimes marketed as ''Aladdin: The Return of Jafar'' on re-release) is a 1994 American direct-to-video animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Television. It is the first sequel to the 1992 fi ...
'' (1994) and ''
Aladdin and the King of Thieves'' (1996), as well as its
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
and a
Broadway musical adaption of the film. Both Larkin and Salonga have been awarded
Disney Legends for their contributions to the role.
Naomi Scott
Naomi Scott (born 6 May 1993) is an English actress and singer. Born in Hounslow, she rose to prominence for her performances in the television film '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011) and the science fiction series '' Terra Nova'' (2011). In 2015, Scree ...
played the character in the
2019 live-action adaptation of the original 1992 film.
Development
Conception and writing
Jasmine is based on the princess who appears in the Middle Eastern folk tale collection ''
One Thousand and One Nights'',
specifically the story "
Aladdin and the Magical Lamp."
Lyricist
Howard Ashman
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...
and composer
Alan Menken had first begun to develop ''Aladdin'' while they were still writing songs for ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a ...
'' (1989), but further development was abandoned in favor of working on ''
Beauty and the Beast
''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...
'' (1991) instead.
However, ''Aladdin'' was finally resurrected as ''Beauty and the Beast'' neared completion.
While the princess in the original tale is named
Badroulbadour
Badroulbadour / Badr ul-Badour / Badr al-Badur ( ar, بدر البدور ', "full moon of full moons") is a princess whom Aladdin married in ''The Story of Aladdin; or, the Wonderful Lamp''. Her name uses the full moon as a metaphor for female beau ...
, the studio decided to rename the character the more familiar "Jasmine" after actress
Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, director, singer and dancer. She is known for her role as Dina in the 1988 film ''School Daze'' and as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off ''A Different World'', ...
.
Additionally, the name was also among the decade's most popular at the time.
In Ashman's original
treatment of the film, Aladdin had two potential love interests: both Jasmine and a "
Judy Garland
Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
-y
tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
," whose romantic feelings for Aladdin were not reciprocated by the hero.
Screenwriter
Linda Woolverton
Linda Woolverton (born December 19, 1952) is an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist, whose most prominent works include the screenplays and books of several acclaimed Disney films and stage musicals. She is the first woman to have wr ...
eventually drafted a screenplay based on the film ''
The Thief of Baghdad'' (1940), a revision that included a
handmaiden
A handmaiden, handmaid or maidservant is a personal maid or female servant. Depending on culture or historical period, a handmaiden may be of slave status or may be simply an employee. However, the term ''handmaiden'' generally implies lowly st ...
for Jasmine (an idea resurfaced in the
2019 live-action film), who was ultimately replaced by a pet
tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ...
.
![Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Audrey_Hepburn_in_Roman_Holiday_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Directors and writers
Ron Clements
Ronald Francis Clements (born April 25, 1953) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He often collaborates with fellow director John Musker and is best known for writing and directing the Disney films ''The Grea ...
and
John Musker eventually disregarded Woolverton's script in favor of developing something more similar to Ashman's version, albeit making several changes to his treatment, among them approaching the character of Jasmine "a little differently,"
while maintaining Woolverton's vision of "a princess that Aladdin could woo."
Following the elimination of Aladdin's mother from the script, Jasmine and Aladdin's relationship was expanded upon to the point of which it became a focal point of the film,
ultimately allowing more screen time for the princess.
Thus, Jasmine was developed into a more prominent character.
Unlike Disney's previous adaptations of fairy tales, the princess is not the film's main character, and therefore the story does not revolve around her.
Despite the presence of a prominent princess character, the directors decided to treat ''Aladdin'' more-so like "an Arabian adventure" as opposed to a traditional Disney fairy tale or princess film in the vein of ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...
'' (1937) or ''Beauty and the Beast''. The decision to make ''Aladdin'' a
high comedy
High comedy or pure comedy is a type of comedy characterized by witty dialogue, satire, biting humor, wordplay, or criticism of life. The term High Comedy was coined in England in 1877 by George Meredith for his Essay on Comedy.
History
Comedy, ...
ultimately eliminated the need to explore some of Jasmine's deeper storylines.
Although several details of the original folk tale were altered for the film adaptation, Jasmine's main storyline being pressured into marriage remained mostly untouched.
However, while Badroulbadour initially resents Aladdin, Jasmine on the other hand is almost immediately charmed by him.
Screenwriters
Ted Elliott and
Terry Rossio
Terry Rossio (born July 2, 1960) is an American screenwriter. He co-wrote the films ''Aladdin'', ''Shrek'', and all five of the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for ''Shrek' ...
rewrote Jasmine into a "stronger" character who actively longs for freedom from her "regal confinement."
According to Dave Smith of the Disney Archives, the "liberated" Jasmine primarily "seeks to escape her present lifestyle." The idea of a disguised Jasmine stowing away from her palace in the
middle of the night
''Middle of the Night'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Delbert Mann, and released by Columbia Pictures.'' Variety'' film review; May 20, 1959, page 6.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; May 23, 1959, page 82. It was entered into th ...
was inspired by the
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
film ''
Roman Holiday
''Roman Holiday'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter. Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress f ...
'' (1953), in which Princess Ann, portrayed by actress
Audrey Hepburn, similarly escapes the royal
embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...
in disguise in order to spend one day exploring Rome on her own.
Voice
The casting of American actor and comedian
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
as the
Genie
Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources)
– are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic myt ...
inspired the studio to recruit similarly talented voice actors capable of matching his pace.
The filmmakers had originally envisioned Jasmine's voice as similar to that of actress
Lauren Bacall.
Jasmine's speaking voice is provided by American actress
Linda Larkin
Linda Larkin (born March 20, 1970) is an American actress, best known for her role as the speaking voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney's 1992 animated feature film ''Aladdin''.
Career
Larkin began her career in 1990, with the film ''Zapped Agai ...
.
The role was only one of several auditions Larkin had scheduled during the same week in which she auditioned for ''Aladdin'', and she originally underestimated the scope of the project, joking, "I thought it was going to be something like ''
DuckTales
''DuckTales'' is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. The original cartoon series premiered on syndication and on Disney Channel on September 18, 1987 and ran for a total of 100 episodes over four sea ...
'' (
sic
The Latin adverb ''sic'' (; "thus", "just as"; in full: , "thus was it written") inserted after a quoted word or passage indicates that the quoted matter has been transcribed or translated exactly as found in the source text, complete with any e ...
)."
Initially presented with only a few pages of the screenplay,
Larkin found that she was particularly drawn to Jasmine's "spirit of
activism," in addition to the ways in which character was both similar to and different from previous Disney heroines.
Princesses
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection '' Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...
,
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
, and
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
had been childhood favorites of the actress.
Larkin's first audition was held in a Burbank, California recording studio, in which she performed solely for the film's casting director.
The side used for Larkin's first audition was the scene in which Jasmine meets Aladdin in the marketplace their first encounter.
Jasmine's line 'It's all so magical' helped convince Larkin that she was "meant" to voice the character.
Although Larkin's voice was significantly different from what the filmmakers had originally envisioned for the character, her interpretation gradually changed their minds.
![Linda Larkin 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Linda_Larkin_2015.jpg)
In the form of an extensive series of callbacks, Larkin returned to the studio on several different occasions over the next few months.
While the audience of studio executives and filmmakers continued to increase, the amount of actresses competing for the role gradually decreased accordingly as the audition process neared completion.
Larkin's final audition lasted a total of four hours, during which she read through the entire script for the first time.
The animators were also provided with an opportunity to animate to Larkin's voice for the first time.
The actress was finally cast several months later, by which time she had nearly forgotten she had ever auditioned.
Six months into recording, however,
Larkin was forced to re-audition for the role by Disney executive
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and C ...
,
who felt that the actress' voice lacked the authority required to voice a princess.
However, Clements and Musker disagreed with him, and managed to trick Katzenberg into not firing Larkin by staging a fake recording session during which they had the actress speak lower and slower in Katzenberg's presence, only to have her return to her natural voice thereafter.
Larkin recorded only one scene alongside her co-stars Williams and
Scott Weinger
Scott Weinger (born October 5, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known as the voice of the Disney character Aladdin in the 1992 animated film and various follow-ups, and as Steve Hale on the ABC sitcom ''Full House'' and its Netflix sequ ...
, the voice of Aladdin.
Apart from some rough, unfinished storyboards and drawings, Larkin did not see much of her character until the film was finally screened at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
.
Before discovering Larkin, Disney had been insisting on auditioning exclusively performers who were capable of singing as well as they could act.
However, after Williams' recruitment, the studio relented in favor of casting "strong actors" instead.
When Larkin first auditioned for the role, "
A Whole New World
"A Whole New World" is the signature song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film ''Aladdin'', with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in their respective roles as the ...
," Jasmine's only surviving song, had not yet been written;
she admitted, "there's no way I would have even auditioned ... if there had been a song from the beginning."
After writing Jasmine's first song, the filmmakers asked Larkin if she would be interested in recording it and providing the character's singing voice.
Larkin immediately declined,
joking, "I do
ing
Ing, ING or ing may refer to:
Art and media
* '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film
* i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group
* The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes''
* "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...
nbsp;... but not like a princess!"
Thus, Disney decided to recruit a singer who could mimic Larkin's speaking voice instead,
despite the actress' fear that the studio would completely replace her with a professional singer altogether.
Jasmine's
singing voice is provided by Filipina singer and actress
Lea Salonga. Salonga's
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-winning performance in the musical ''
Miss Saigon
''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...
'' helped her garner the interest of casting director Albert Tavares,
who proceeded to leave a note for the singer on the stage door before leaving a show he had attended.
Salonga's agent then scheduled her audition, at which she performed "
Part of Your World
"Part of Your World" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Disney's animated feature film ''The Little Mermaid'' (1989). Performed by American actress and singer Jodi Benson in the titular role as Ariel, a merm ...
" from ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a ...
''.
Salonga finally began recording a
demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
of "A Whole New World" a few days later.
With the casting of Salonga, Larkin became one of Disney's first voice actors to not provide the singing voice of the character she voices,
and thus Jasmine marked the first time Disney decided to separate a Princess's speaking and singing voices.
Describing Salonga as "an incredible singer," Larkin herself was pleasantly surprised by how much Salonga's voice resembled her own when she first heard "A Whole New World," joking, "the filmmakers almost had me convinced that I sang it."
Personality and design
The character's
blurb
A blurb is a short promotional piece accompanying a piece of creative work. It may be written by the author or publisher or quote praise from others. Blurbs were originally printed on the back or rear dust jacket of a book, and are now also fou ...
on the official
Disney website reads, "Jasmine is an independent, fiery beauty capable of taking care of herself" who "longs to experience life outside the palace." The writers had originally conceived Jasmine as a spoiled and materialistic princess whose interests were limited to clothing and jewelry, but eventually developed her into a stronger, more mature character.
Larkin described Jasmine as "a very strong, well defined character from the very beginning."
Mark Henn
Mark Alan Henn (born April 6, 1958) is an American animator and film director. His contributions to animation have included several Walt Disney Animation Studios leading or title characters, most notably heroines. His work includes Ariel in '' T ...
served as Jasmine's supervising animator. Having originally been hired to animate Aladdin's mother, the removal of the character from the film ultimately provided Henn with the opportunity to animate Jasmine instead.
Throughout Disney's previous animated film ''Beauty and the Beast'', the design of the heroine Belle whom Henn had also helped animate suffered from various inconsistencies due to the character having been animated at two completely separate studio locations.
To avoid experiencing a similar dilemma with Jasmine, the filmmakers ultimately decided to have the princess animated entirely at one studio.
Because Jasmine is the film's love interest as opposed to its main character, the princess was animated at the company's secondary studio in Florida, while Aladdin was animated in California.
However, the more intimate love scenes between the two leads forced Henn to frequently communicate with Aladdin's lead animator
Glen Keane
Glen Keane (born April 13, 1954) is an American animator, author and illustrator. He was a character animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios for feature films including ''The Little Mermaid'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''Aladdin'', ''Pocahonta ...
through phone and fax, and the animators also sent designs and discs to each other.
Out of his desire to introduce Indian architecture into the film, art director Bill Perkins based Jasmine's design on the famous
mausoleum, the
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
, which itself incorporates and expands on Indian design, particularly the curves demonstrated in the character's hair, clothes and jewelry.
![Jennifer Connelly 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Jennifer_Connelly_2012.jpg)
Having just recently animated two previous Disney heroines Ariel from ''The Little Mermaid'' and Belle from ''Beauty and the Beast'', respectively – Henn initially suffered from a severe case of "
artist's block" while attempting to design his third heroine, Jasmine.
While working on the character at
Disney-MGM Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Based on a concept by ...
in Florida, Henn noticed a young female amusement park guest with long
black hair
Black hair is the darkest and most common of all human hair colors globally, due to larger populations with this dominant trait. It is a dominant genetic trait, and it is found in people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Black hair contains a ...
, and ultimately decided to use her as his initial inspiration for Jasmine; the guest's identity remains anonymous to date.
Earliest sketches of Jasmine were based on various exotic-looking supermodels in addition to her
namesake
A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another.
History
The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake",
which originates in English Bible translations ...
Jasmine Guy, but the actress' facial features were ultimately considered to be too "severe" for an animated character.
In search of "something fresh to help with the physical look of her," Henn was eventually inspired by a high school graduation photograph of his younger sister Beth Allen,
who wore her hair in a style similar to what would ultimately become Jasmine's.
Henn credits his sister with helping him overcome his artist's block, and the directors ultimately approved of Henn's
concept design
Concept art is a form of visual art used to convey an idea for use in films, video games, animation, comic books, or other media before it is put into the final product. Concept art usually refers to world-building artwork used to inspire the ...
.
The character's facial features were further inspired by actress
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After having worked as a model for several year ...
, specifically her eyebrows. Additionally, some of Larkin's own mannerisms and physical traits were incorporated into the character.
Henn credits one particular dinner conversation he had shared with Larkin with proving very inspirational in terms of helping him discover Jasmine's emotional side. Model Robina Ritchie served as an on-location reference for the animation, pantomiming actions to the recording of Larkin's voiceovers so, in Henn's words, "the animator gets the feeling of what the real human movement would be."
[
The final appearance of Jasmine consequently inspired the studio to redesign Aladdin; accordingly, Katzenberg felt that the main character, who was originally depicted as a younger, "scrawny" ]underdog
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works, who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the case where an underdog wins, the ...
, did not resemble a suitable leading man for Jasmine, which they feared would result in unconvincing chemistry between the couple. Thus, they ultimately decided to base Aladdin on actor Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...
instead. Henn's favorite sequence to animate was the scene in which Jasmine discovers Aladdin's true identity and gives him "a look." The filmmakers decided to dress Jasmine in blue to symbolically represent water, which is "the most precious substance one can find in a desert." The animators sat the character next to a fountain when she is first introduced in the film to further emphasize this motif and comparison. With her appearance finalized, Jasmine became Disney's first non-white princess as opposed to being of European heritage.
Themes
Characteristics and beliefs
As a character, Jasmine is both similar to and different from Disney heroines who preceded her. She possesses many qualities associated with traditional Disney Princesses, grace and beauty among them. However, marketed by Disney as "a heroine of the 1990s," Jasmine is "born-before-her-time," and thus her intelligence and ambitions tend to more-so resemble contemporary incarnations, namely Belle. Brian Lowry of ''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' likened Jasmine's strong-willed personality to that of Belle, describing her as an " anachronistically liberated" heroine. Meanwhile, ''The Hollywood News''' Rob Burch observed that the princess is very similar to Ariel, being "independent, beautiful, and desperate for the chance to live her own life," while at the same time concealing kindness beneath "a shield of anger." Belonging to "a series of spunky heroines" inspired by both contemporary feminism and the girl power
Girl power is a slogan that encourages and celebrates women's empowerment, independence, confidence and strength. The slogan's invention is credited to the US punk band Bikini Kill, who published a zine called ''Bikini Kill #2: Girl Power'' i ...
movement, Jasmine was recognized by ''Hearing a Film, Seeing a Sermon: Preaching and Popular Movies'' author Timothy B. Cargal as a member of Disney's "continued efforts to reshape their heroines for a more feminist age," in addition to providing young girls with strong female role models with whom they can identify. At only 15 years of age, Jasmine is already more resourceful than her two immediate predecessors, while sharing their same preference for assertiveness and empowerment
Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming strong ...
over passiveness, traits echoed by several other Disney Princesses introduced throughout the decade. At the same time, Jasmine is depicted as being feistier than Belle and less naïve than Ariel.
Distinctively, Jasmine is not ''Aladdin'''s protagonist, a role held instead by title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
Aladdin, while Jasmine herself occupies a secondary role as the film's love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
, consequently lacking significant character development. However, sometimes both characters are collectively referred to as protagonists, while Jasmine is sometimes identified as the film's "female protagonist." The First Novels Club observed that Jasmine essentially "ends up the same person as when she started." Little is known about Jasmine's interests, hobbies, and goals. ''The Art of the Princess and the Frog'' author Jeff Kurrti wrote that although "Jasmine is less prominent as a heroine ... she made decisions and was a little more strong-willed." Samantha Rullo of ''Bustle
A bustle is a padded undergarment used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skirt from dragging. ...
'' agreed that, despite her secondary role, Jasmine remains "determined to live her life the way she wants to, rather than letting others make her decisions for her," and thus ranks among Disney's most rebellious princesses. Jasmine's personality continues to rank among Disney's "strongest" heroines because she is not concerned about wealth or social class, despite her opulent upbringing. Similarly, Jasmine is not interested in marrying someone who is capable of only offering her everything she already owns, opting for excitement and companionship instead.
Alongside ''Aladdin'''s other main characters, Jasmine embodies the film's central theme of longing for freedom from some form of confinement or oppression. Both the film and its characters are influenced by Jasmine's "power of choice." The character's desire for both freedom and a sense of agency is constantly threatened by other characters and situations; the sole decision Jasmine maintains complete agency over during the entire film is who she falls in love with aided by the Genie's refusal to use his magical powers to force characters to fall in love although not who she marries. Although Jasmine yearns to explore her kingdom beyond the confines of her palace, she only gets as far as the marketplace before returning home. Jasmine explores "the idea that enclosing yourself behind walls can make you ''more'' vulnerable, not less," as evidenced by the fact that the character is unprepared and knows little about money when she ventures into the marketplace for first time. In the film, Jasmine releases a flock of birds from their cage, which serves as a metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wi ...
for her own situation, being "caged from a world she has never seen and yearns to be released." Jasmine's bedroom is also shaped like a bird cage to represent her own confinement. Her story also explores themes such as civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...
, racial tolerance, social hierarchy
Social stratification refers to a society's categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political). As ...
, and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is a well-known phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence. Scanned image of the Jefferson's "original Rough draught" of the Declaration of Independence, written in June 1776, including ...
.
Feminism, marriage laws, and gender
Jasmine demonstrates several traits, beliefs and ideologies associated with feminism
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
, exercising much "feminist potential," although notably less explicit than Belle's. Nonetheless, the character still adheres to traditional romance-oriented aspirations commonly associated with Disney's princess characters despite "her modern, feminist attitude," although her yearning for romance is much more subdued in comparison. Steve Daly of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' identified Jasmine as "a sexually aware, proto-feminist princess." ''"New" Exoticisms: Changing Patterns in the Construction of Otherness'' author Isabel Santaolalla wrote that Jasmine appears to have inherited "the legacy bequeathed by the 1960s Women's Movement
The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality between men and women. Such is ...
." Having "stepped out of the 1990s" according to ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'''s Desson Howe
Desson Patrick Thomson is a former speechwriter for the Obama administration and former film critic for ''The Washington Post''. He was known as Desson Howe until 2003 when he changed his name after reuniting with his birth father.
Biography
...
, Jasmine is appropriately opposed to the glass ceiling
A glass ceiling is a metaphor usually applied to women, used to represent an invisible barrier that prevents a given demographic from rising beyond a certain level in a hierarchy.Federal Glass Ceiling Commission''Solid Investments: Making Full ...
." Defying marriage law
Marriage law refers to the legal requirements that determine the validity of a marriage, and which vary considerably among countries. See also Marriage Act.
Summary table
Rights and obligations
A marriage, by definition, bestows ...
s and arranged marriages are also among Jasmine's central themes. Larkin believes that her character is responsible for inspiring a change in her kingdom's marriage laws, explaining, "Jasmine didn't just believe in something, she fought against something that she saw was an injustice ... She actively sought change and made it happen." Musker agreed that the princess "rebel against the social structure in choosing to marry someone of her own free will." According to singer Brad Kane
Bradley Caleb Kane (born September 29, 1973) is an American actor, singer, producer and screenwriter.
Career
Kane began to act with a small role in the movie ''Six Weeks''. At the age of eight, he obtained the role of one of the four chorus bo ...
, who provides Aladdin's singing voice, "''Aladdin'' is a stealth feminist movie" because Jasmine is "willing to give up being a princess to not get stuck marrying someone." Jasmine's defiance eventually successfully convinces her father to change the constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
.
The only named, speaking female character in the male-dominated film, Jasmine lacks both female companions and a motherly figure (the male characters account for 90% of the film's dialogue). The character has come to resent the patriarchal society
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men. It is used, both as a technical anthropological term for families or clans controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males ...
in which she lives. ''Movies and the Mind: Theories of the Great Psychoanalysts Applied to Film'' author William Indick observed that Jasmine represents "the rejection of the father-king's domination and control over his daughter's life," resembling "a strong and assertive heroine who rebels against her father's tyranny rather than passively accepting his will." Jasmine's life is almost entirely determined by men, by whom she refuses to be ordered, constantly voicing her disapproval by rejecting arrogant suitors and yelling at men who attempt to make decisions on her behalf, while challenging traditional gender role
A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's sex. Gender roles are usually cent ...
s and male authority figures. Jasmine's father, the Sultan, responds to his daughter's constant rejection of potential suitors with "I don't know where she gets it from. Her mother wasn't nearly so picky," indicating that Jasmine's mother "belonged to a generation of docile pre-feminist ... women." At times, Jasmine can seem judgmental; she originally has a thoroughly negative opinion of all princes until she meets a disguised Aladdin. In Ulrich Marzolph's book ''The Arabian Nights Reader'', the author described the character as "the mouthpiece of opposition to a vaguely defined Middle Eastern backwardness and authoritarianism."
Appearances
Films and television series
Jasmine debuted in '' Aladdin'' (1992) as the Princess of Agrabah, daughter of the Sultan. Frustrated with constantly having decisions made for her and being pressured into marrying a prince by law, Jasmine disguises herself as a peasant and escapes the palace. In the nearby marketplace, Jasmine befriends street thief Aladdin after he rescues her from an angry vendor who very nearly chops her hand off. Escaping to Aladdin's hideout, the pair bonds over the realization that they both feel trapped in their own environments and long for better lives. When Aladdin is soon arrested by the palace guards, Jasmine demands his immediate release only to find her orders overruled by Jafar, the Sultan's scheming grand vizier. When the princess confronts Jafar, he lies and tells her that Aladdin has already been executed, leaving Jasmine distraught and blaming herself for his death; in reality, Jafar is using Aladdin to retrieve a magical lamp containing a genie. When the Genie
Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources)
– are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic myt ...
, who saves and befriends Aladdin, grants his wish to be transformed into a prince to better his chances of wooing Jasmine, Aladdin introduces himself to her as "Prince Ali." Although initially unimpressed, Jasmine is charmed after joining him on a magic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet and common trope in fantasy fiction. It is typically used as a form of transportation and can quickly or instantaneously carry its users to their destination.
In literature
One o ...
ride, at the end of which she discovers that the prince is, in fact, the same peasant she met in the marketplace. However, Aladdin convinces Jasmine that he truly is a prince who, much like her, only occasionally disguises himself as a commoner. When Jafar learns the truth about Aladdin, he steals the lamp and becomes the Genie's master, banishing Aladdin and forcing the Genie to make him Sultan, while enslaving both Jasmine and her father. After refusing to marry him, Jasmine kisses Jafar to distract him while Aladdin returns in time to trick Jafar into wishing himself into a genie and thus trapping himself within the lamp. Jasmine and the Sultan are finally freed, and she and Aladdin become engaged after the Sultan abolishes the law so that Jasmine can legally marry whomever she chooses.
Following the success of ''Aladdin'', Jasmine appears in the film's two direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy wa ...
sequels, both of which Larkin reprises her role as the character, with Liz Callaway
Liz Callaway (born April 13, 1961) is an American actress, singer and recording artist, who is best known for having provided the singing voices of many female characters in animated films, such as Anya/Anastasia in '' Anastasia'', Odette in ''T ...
replacing Salonga as her singing voice. The first, ''The Return of Jafar
''The Return of Jafar'' (sometimes marketed as ''Aladdin: The Return of Jafar'' on re-release) is a 1994 American direct-to-video animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Television. It is the first sequel to the 1992 fi ...
'' (1994), features Jasmine as she begins to question her trust in Aladdin after he defends Jafar's former pet parrot, Iago
Iago () is a fictional character in Shakespeare's ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Iago is the play's main antagonist, and Othello's standard-bearer. He is the husband of Emilia, who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. Iago ha ...
, who escapes Jafar's lamp and rescues Aladdin from bandits, hoping to make amends with the royal family. However, Iago manages to convince the princess that she still very much trusts Aladdin. Jasmine eventually befriends Iago after he helps mend her and Aladdin's relationship, frees the Genie, and ultimately risks his life to destroy Jafar once and for all, who has returned seeking vengeance. In the second, '' Aladdin and the King of Thieves'' (1996), Jasmine's long-awaited wedding to Aladdin is interrupted by the Forty Thieves
''The Forty Thieves'' is a "Pantomime Burlesque" written by Robert Reece, W. S. Gilbert, F. C. Burnand and Henry J. Byron, created in 1878 as a charity benefit, produced by the Beefsteak Club of London. The Beefsteak Club still meets in Irving ...
. The Oracle, which the thieves are attempting to steal, reveals that Aladdin's father Cassim
This is a list of characters in ''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ''The Arabian Nights''), the classic, medieval collection of Middle-Eastern folk tales.
Characters in the frame story Scheherazade
Scheherazade or Shahrazad ( fa, شهرزاد} ...
is still alive and is their leader. Encouraging Aladdin to pursue his father, Jasmine agrees to postpone the wedding, but can't help but worry for him during his absence. When Aladdin finally returns to Agrabah with Cassim and introduces him, Jasmine and the Sultan take an immediate liking to him. However, Cassim is soon imprisoned by the Sultan after he attempts to steal the Oracle again. Aladdin frees Cassim and accepts punishment for his actions until Jasmine convinces her father that he was only helping his father out of love. Iago returns to inform them that Cassim has been captured by Sa'luk
The Walt Disney Company, Disney's ''Aladdin (franchise), Aladdin'' franchise features an extensive cast of fictional characters.
The lead character of the series is Aladdin, who was originally a street urchin. During the course of the franchise, ...
and the remaining Thieves. Jasmine goes with Aladdin to rescue his father, and afterward, they return for their wedding, which Cassim attends from the shadows. They go for a ride on Carpet, waving goodbye to the Merchant from the first film and Iago and Cassim as they ride off. Jasmine also appears in the television series based on the film, which originally aired from 1994 to 1995.
Jasmine, alongside the other Disney Princesses, appears in the film '' Ralph Breaks the Internet'', as was announced at the 2017 D23 Expo.
Naomi Scott
Naomi Scott (born 6 May 1993) is an English actress and singer. Born in Hounslow, she rose to prominence for her performances in the television film '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011) and the science fiction series '' Terra Nova'' (2011). In 2015, Scree ...
portrays Jasmine in a live-action adaptation of the 1992 film. The film's storyline depicts her mother to originate from Agrabah's neighboring kingdom of Sherebad, desiring to improve her people's lives as sultana despite traditions and Jafar manipulating the Sultan for his own ends. At the end of the film, Jasmine becomes Agrabah's first sultana with the power to legally marry whomever she chooses.
Broadway musical
Jasmine appears in the Broadway musical adaptation of ''Aladdin'', which premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre
The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built fro ...
in March 2014. The role was originated by actress Courtney Reed
Courtney Rhodes Reed (born August 10, 1984) is an American actress, best known for originating the role of Princess Jasmine in Disney's '' Aladdin on Broadway.''
Early life
Reed was born and raised in Elgin, Illinois to a Caucasian American f ...
, becoming her first time originating a Broadway character after appearing in minor roles in Broadway productions such as ''In the Heights
''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...
'' and '' Mamma Mia!'' Reed had grown up a longtime fan of Disney films and princesses, and, being of mixed ethnicity
Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-eth ...
, cites Jasmine as her favorite princess because "she was my first experience seeing a Disney princess who looked like me ... So I thought, 'Wow, I can be like her'," while the others tend to have blond hair and blue eyes. Equally a fan of the film itself, the actress' childhood home included an ''Aladdin''-themed room used to store toys; Reed also portrayed Aladdin's pet monkey Abu
Abu or ABU may refer to:
Places
* Abu (volcano), a volcano on the island of Honshū in Japan
* Abu, Yamaguchi, a town in Japan
* Ahmadu Bello University, a university located in Zaria, Nigeria
* Atlantic Baptist University, a Christian university ...
in a Children's Theatre of Elgin production of the film, although she had really wanted to be cast as Jasmine. Despite having already been associated with the project since its early beginnings and initial readings in 2010, Reed auditioned for the role for director Casey Nicholaw
Casey Nicholaw (born October 6, 1962) is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. He has been nominated for several Tony Awards for his work directing and choreographing ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' (2006), ''The Book of Mormon'' (2 ...
in Seattle before the production finally relocated to Broadway, selected out of only a few actresses who were invited to audition. Unlike co-stars Adam Jacobs and Jonathan Freeman, who portray Aladdin and Jafar, respectively, Reed was the only main cast member required to audition.
After learning she had been cast, Reed hired a personal trainer
A personal trainer is an individual who creates and delivers safe and effective exercise programs for apparently healthy individuals and groups, or those with medical clearance to exercise. They motivate clients by collaborating to set goals, p ...
and practiced a healthier diet to prepare herself for her revealing costumes in which she exposes her midriff as the character. In the musical, Jasmine resembles an even stronger, more spirited character than the film version, specifically the way in which she fights against marriage laws and men who wish to control her. Reed believes her character changed the most during workshops as the show traveled from Seattle to Toronto, and finally Broadway, including the replacement of an original musical number with "These Palace Walls," which composer Alan Menken wrote specifically for Reed. Described by Reed as "a really beautiful song" that "sets up her character," "These Palace Walls" narrates Jasmine's desire to explore the world beyond the confines of the palace, despite being grateful for everything her father has already provided her with. Reed originally found performing "A Whole New World" particularly daunting because, as the film's most famous song, "everyone has these very specific ideas of what they think it should look like or sound like," in addition to feeling pressured to match Salonga's performance, of whom she is a fan.
Miscellaneous
According to the website Behind the Voice Actors, there are currently over 19 animated iterations of Princess Jasmine from various film, television and video game appearances, with Larkin having voiced 16 of them. As a member of the Disney Princess franchise, Jasmine's likeness is used in a wide variety of merchandise, including magazines, books, toys, video games, clothes, stationery and school supplies. In 2013, Jasmine's design within Disney Princess marketing was updated, garnering mild controversy because some critics accused the character's skin color of being lightened. The character appears in the film '' Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams'', starring in the segment "More Than a Peacock Princess." Having grown weary of her usual princess duties, Jasmine demands more responsibility from the Sultan, who assigns her the position of Royal Assistant Educator at the Royal Academy, a job she actually finds quite difficult due to its rowdy pupils, until she learns to exercise patience and perseverance. The character is also challenged with retrieving the Sultan's horse Sahara, after he goes missing from the stables in order to save the stable boy's job. In print, Jasmine appears in the manga ''Kilala Princess
''Kilala Princess'', known in Japan as is a shōjo fantasy, Romance novel, romance, and adventure manga series written by Rika Tanaka and illustrated by Nao Kodaka. The first 15 chapters were serialized by Kōdansha in the monthly manga magaz ...
'' among several other Disney Princesses, although they never interact with each other.
In addition to starring in her own television series based on ''Aladdin'', Jasmine has made cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
s in the Disney Channel animated series '' Hercules: The Animated Series'' and ''House of Mouse
''Disney's House of Mouse'' (or simply ''House of Mouse'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that originally aired for three seasons on ABC and Toon Disney from January 13, 2001, to its final ...
''. In the film '' Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse'' (2001), she was voiced by actress Bobbi Page. In June 2013, Jasmine appeared in the Disney Junior
Disney Junior is an American pay television network owned by the Walt Disney Television (part of Disney General Entertainment Content) unit of The Walt Disney Company through Disney Branded Television. Aimed mainly at children two to seven y ...
animated series ''Sofia the First
''Sofia the First'' is an American animated fantasy children's television series. The show follows a young peasant girl named Sofia (Ariel Winter), who becomes a princess after her mother marries the king of Enchancia. Episodes focus on her adv ...
'', with both Larkin and Salonga reprising the respective roles. This occasion marked the character's first television appearance since ''House of Mouse'' more than 10 years prior.
Jasmine appears in several video game adaptations
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
of the ''Aladdin'' film series, specifically ''Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge
''Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge'' is a platform game based on the ''Aladdin'' franchise which was developed for the PlayStation and PC by Argonaut Games and distributed by Disney Interactive in 2000. In the game, Aladdin, Abu and Jasmin ...
'' (2001), in which Jafar's twin sister Nasira plots to avenge her brother's death by capturing Jasmine and the Sultan. Jasmine becomes a playable character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not contr ...
at certain points throughout the game, navigating levels stealthily by hiding in a large vase. The princess also appears as a non-playable character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster ...
in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' video game series as one of the seven Princesses of Heart
''Kingdom Hearts'' is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). It is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios. ''Kingdom H ...
captured by Maleficent
Maleficent ( or ) is a fictional character who appears as the main antagonist in Walt Disney Productions' 16th animated feature film, ''Sleeping Beauty'' (1959). She is represented as an evil fairy and the self-proclaimed " Mistress of All Evil ...
, each of whom is essential to fulfilling the villain's evil plan. Jasmine has appeared in the installments '' Kingdom Hearts'' (2002), '' Kingdom Hearts II'' (2005), and ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
(subtitle read as "Three-Five-Eight Days over Two") is an Action role-playing game, action role-playing video game developed by h.a.n.d. and Square Enix (in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios) for the Nintendo DS. It is the fifth ins ...
'' (2009). Jasmine's kingdom is one of four featured in '' Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey'' (2007), which players taking on the role of their own customizable princess can explore via portals to solve various minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
s and puzzles, equipped with a magic wand. Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. identified Jasmine's kingdom as among the game's more challenging environments. Jasmine appears in '' Kinect: Disneyland Adventures'' (2011), located in Adventureland. In 2015, Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive is an American video game and internet company that oversaw various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company.
History
1995–1996: Formation and beginnings
In December 1994, Disney announced that it wa ...
released figurines of both Jasmine and Aladdin for ''Disney Infinity 2.0
''Disney Infinity 2.0'' (also known as ''Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes'') is an action-adventure game, action-adventure Nonlinear gameplay#Sandbox mode, sandbox toys-to-life video game developed by Avalanche Software and Heavy Iron Studios ...
'' (2014). Jasmine became the fifth Disney Princess to be officially added to the game, as well as the first to be made available as a figurine. In ''Disney Infinity 2.0'', Jasmine is equipped with a magic carpet in addition to the ability to summon wind and cyclones, inflicting various consequences upon enemies and targets. Jasmine is a playable character to unlock for a limited time in the video game ''Disney Magic Kingdoms
''Disney Magic Kingdoms'' is a 2016 city building game developed and published by Gameloft for iOS, Android, and Windows. It is themed off the Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. The game was officially launched on March 17, 2016.
Storyline
The game ...
''.
In print, an illustrated version of Jasmine appears in the book ''Tales from Agrabah: Seven Original Stories of Aladdin and Jasmine'' (1995), a collection of stories written by author Katherine Applegate
Katherine Alice Applegate (born October 9, 1956), known professionally as K. A. Applegate or Katherine Applegate, is an American young adult and children's fiction writer, best known as the author of the ''Animorphs'', ''Remnants'', ''Everworld'' ...
that details the lives of the two main characters prior to the events of the film, including how Jasmine came to meet her pet tiger Rajah.
In September 2016, a live-action version of Jasmine debuted as a recurring character in the sixth season of the fantasy television series ''Once Upon a Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in t ...
'', in which she is portrayed by actress Karen David
Karen Shenaz David (born 15 April 1979) is a Canadian actress, singer, and songwriter, best known for portraying Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia in ABC's fairytale-themed musical-comedy television series ''Galavant'', as w ...
. The character makes a brief first appearance in the season's fourth episode, "Strange Case
"Strange Case" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of the American fantasy drama series ''Once Upon a Time'', which aired on October 16, 2016.
In this episode, the origins of Jekyll and Hyde with its ties to Rumplestiltskin are revealed, as ...
," before finally starring in the fifth, " Street Rats," in which Jasmine enlists the help of Aladdin to locate a powerful item capable of interrupting Jafar's control over the Sultan. As has become custom with ''Once Upon a Time'''s plots, creative liberties were taken with the original film, including Jasmine taking Aladdin to the Cave of Wonders instead of Jafar and the absence of the pair developing romantic feelings for each other, although the iconic scene in which Jasmine is imprisoned in an hourglass is retained. Jasmine's blue outfit was slightly modified for the series. David had previously expressed interest in playing an ethnic Disney heroine such as Pocahontas, Esmeralda or Jasmine on ''Once Upon a Time'', and was finally cast as the third in July 2016. The actress described preparing for the role as exciting yet "nerve-wracking," because "she's such an iconic and beloved character and all the fans have their idealism of what she should and shouldn't be," longing to please fans of both the original film and character.
Disney has gradually been introducing new, modified versions of princess costumes at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Inc., formerly Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and informally known as Disney Parks, is one of The Walt Disney Company's five major business segments and a subsidiary. It was founded on Apri ...
. In September 2016, Jasmine's outfit received a "modest" makeover; a redesigned, less revealing version of the character's blue outfit from the film debuted at both Disney World and Disneyland after 24 years. The costume consists of long sleeves, new shoes, full-length top concealing her midriff, high neckline, and a modified hairstyle while retaining the original turquoise-blue color from the films. Her pants have been replaced with a floor-length dress. A gold belt featuring an embroidered design of Rajah's face has also been added to the costume. Jasmine introduced her new outfit to guests with a public appearance at the first Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a separate-admission Halloween-themed event held annually during the months of August, September, and October at the Magic Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vis ...
. Although similar modifications were made to Pocahontas' and Mulan's costumes, Jasmine's redesign has inspired the most controversial response from the public. When questioned, park attendants and cast members explain that the redesigns were made to be more accurate to the cultures from which the characters hail, although Jasmine is from the fictional kingdom of Agrabah. Rachel Paige of HelloGiggles
HelloGiggles.com is an entertainment and lifestyle website launched in May 2011. It was founded by actress/musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rivka Rossi and writer Molly McAleer. The website is geared toward women, and covers topics in pop ...
identified the main reason for the dramatic modifications is because several park guests were complaining about the character's exposed midriff and its effects on young girls; Paige defended that the outfit is in accordance to the location and time period, in which the film is set. The redesign is expected to gradually appear at other Disney theme parks around the world as well. Jasmine, along with Aladdin, is a meetable character at all the parks worldwide and is usually located in Adventureland.
Reception
Critical response
Critical opinions of Jasmine have been generally mixed; some critics appreciated the character for continuing to "break the assivemold" that had been demonstrated by Disney's earliest princesses. Ty Burr
Ty Burr (born August 17, 1957) is an American film critic, columnist, and author who currently writes a film and popular culture newsletter "Ty Burr's Watchlist" on Substack. Burr previously served as film critic at ''The Boston Globe'' for two ...
of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' described Jasmine as the "most full-bodied (in every sense) of the new Disney heroines," while Desson Howe
Desson Patrick Thomson is a former speechwriter for the Obama administration and former film critic for ''The Washington Post''. He was known as Desson Howe until 2003 when he changed his name after reuniting with his birth father.
Biography
...
of ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' commended the character for providing the film with "feminist consciousness." ''The Christian Science Monitor
''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...
'''s David Sterrit wrote that Jasmine "is less carefully worked out han Aladdinbut equally likable as a personality type." Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...
agreed that the character exhibits "likeably cynical streaks," despite being an "essentially bland" character. Jasmine's strong-willed personality has frequently been both positively and negatively compared those of her predecessors Ariel and Belle. Gary Thompson of the '' Philadelphia Daily News'' wrote, "Princess Jasmine is also more barbed, yet without the obvious feminist makeover given to Belle." Similarly, James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli (born September 25, 1967) is an American film critic and former engineer. His reviews are mainly published on his blog ''ReelViews.'' Approved as a critic by the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, he has published two collections of r ...
of ''ReelViews'' commended Jasmine for "show ngthe same streak of stubborn independence exhibited by Ariel and Belle," but ultimately criticized the fact that "she doesn't fill a more pressing role than that of Aladdin's 'love interest'." Agreeing that Jasmine appears "bland" in comparison to ''Aladdin'''s supporting characters, Mari Ness
Mari Ness (born ) is an American poet, author, and critic. She has multiple publications in various science fiction and fantasy magazines and anthologies. Her work has been published in ''Apex Magazine'', '' Clarkesworld'', '' Daily Science Fictio ...
of ''Tor.com
''Tor.com'' is an online science fiction and fantasy magazine published by Tor Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers. The magazine publishes articles, reviews, original short fiction, re-reads and commentary on speculative fiction.
From 20 ...
'' wrote, "Jasmine follows in the footsteps of Ariel and Belle as someone unhappy with the restrictions of her world and her lack of choices: like both of them, she takes active steps to change this, and it's not entirely her fault that she's a secondary character in a film not all that interested in her ... She's perceptive, and fast thinking, but this isn't her movie, and in the end, although she does get to choose her own husband, she doesn't really get a chance, like Ariel and Belle, to move out of her world. She can be ''shown'' the world, but she stays in her palace." In a retrospective review, Texas Public Radio's Nathan Cone was pleasantly surprised "by how much of a leap forward the character of Jasmine was for the Disney storytellers," praising her boldness and intelligence, and preferring her over Belle.
Other critics have been much less forgiving; common critiques have derided the princess as a spoiled, shallow, bland, and overly sexualized character. Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. criticized Jasmine for lacking an original predicament and premise, while Creative Loafing
Creative Loafing is an Atlanta-based publisher of a monthly arts and culture newspaper/magazine. The company publishes a 60,000 circulation monthly publication which is distributed to in-town locations and neighborhoods on the first Thursday of ...
's Matt Brunson described the character as a "liberated" but "stiff" heroine. Janet Maslin
Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...
of ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' panned Jasmine: "the sloe-eyed Princess Jasmine ... a nymph
A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label= Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...
in harem pants, use words like 'fabulous' and 'amazing' to express unremarkable thoughts," concluding, "Luckily, he is
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
surrounded by an overpowering array of secondary characters who make the film's sidelines much more interesting than its supposed center." '' Time Out'' called the character disappointing, and ''TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news.
The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008.
Corpora ...
'' described her as "bland." Film critic Roger Ebert cited Jasmine among the film's weaknesses, dismissing the relationship between her and Aladdin as "pale and routine" in comparison to Belle and the Beast's. Additionally, Ebert wrote that the characters "look unformed, as if even the filmmakers didn't see them as real individuals." Ed Gonzalez of '' Slant Magazine'' derided the character as "another 'free-spirited' type in the Barbie-doll tradition, a faux feminist who wants everyone to know that she can do everything the boys can." '' Orange Coast'''s film critic Henry A. Giroux dismissed Jasmine as little more than "an object of laddins immediate desire" and a "stepping stone to social mobility."
Naomi Scott
Naomi Scott (born 6 May 1993) is an English actress and singer. Born in Hounslow, she rose to prominence for her performances in the television film '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011) and the science fiction series '' Terra Nova'' (2011). In 2015, Scree ...
's performance as Jasmine in the 2019 film was generally well-received by critics. Tom Jorgensen of ''IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' found her portrayal of Jasmine, "a clear improvement over the 1992 version" and added that the character, "feels more three-dimensional (pun not intended... nor apologized for) and she is given far more interesting ambitions this time around. Scott gives the character a dignity and drive that makes it easier to root for her than poor old Al." Johnny Oleksinski of the ''New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' found Scott's version of Jasmine, "lovely" and also had "more agency and less passiveness" than in the original version. ''The San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The p ...
''s critic Mick LaSalle
Mick is a masculine given name, usually a short form ( hypocorism) of Michael. Because of its popularity in Ireland, it is often used in England as a derogatory term for an Irish person or a person of Irish descent. In Australia the meaning broad ...
found Scott to be the "real star" of the film and she "thrives and gives everything to her new power anthem" that was written for the film. ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''s Michael O'Sullivan praised Scott's portrayal as someone, "who doesn't just dream of escaping from under her father's restrictive rules about whom she can marry" but also "super-feminist." Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American columnist and film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times''. He co-hosted the television series '' At the Movies'' with Roger Ebert from 2000 to 2008, serving as the late Gene Siskel's success ...
of ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...
'' described Scott's performance as "winning" and added, "she also gets the chance to shine and absolutely sparkles" in the new song, "''Speechless''." For her performance, Scott won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress – Sci-Fi/Fantasy and also received a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Feminist analysis
The reverse cover of ''Aladdin'''s original home video
Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...
release proudly touted Jasmine as "a heroine of the 1990s." However, ''It's Not the Media: The Truth about Pop Culture's Influence on Children'' author Karen Sternheimer strongly disagreed with this sentiment, writing that despite being "strong-willed and almost given feminist qualities," Jasmine nonetheless "resembles heroines of old, waiting for her 'prince' to come and rescue her and using traditional feminine wiles to get her out of trouble." The character continues to be heavily discussed among feminist critics. ''Bustle'' included Jasmine's first encounter with Aladdin on the website's ranking of the most feminist Disney Princess moments, with author Samantha Rullo crediting the scene with demonstrating "how strong-willed and independent she truly is." In a similar "Feminist Ranking Of All The Disney Princesses," ''Bustle'''s Chelsea Maze appreciated Jasmine for refusing "to let the men in her life boss her around," ultimately placing the character at number eight because she possesses "the agency to choose her own mate and follow her heart, all while financially supporting the guy she loves." Mize concluded that Jasmine is "a pretty strong woman with a solid feminist streak."
Both feminist and Muslim critics have accused Jasmine of being "an offensive role model unworthy of showcasing to impressionable young girls." According to Meghan O'Keefe of Overthinking It, Jasmine possesses "tremendous" yet "ineffectual ... potential to be a feminist heroine" due to her lack of interest in books, music, social interaction, and "thirst for learning" that Ariel and Belle share. O'Keefe concluded, "Jasmine's complaints to Aladdin about palace life sound less like a budding feminist finding her voice, and more like the spoiled muse of Pulp
Pulp may refer to:
* Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit
Engineering
* Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture
* Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper
* Molded pulp, a packaging material
...
's 'Common People
A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...
'." Charles I. Schuster, author of ''Speculations: Readings in Culture, Identity, and Values'', agreed that the character offers very little feminism apart from her "defiance of an arbitrary
Arbitrariness is the quality of being "determined by chance, whim, or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle". It is also used to refer to a choice made without any specific criterion or restraint.
Arbitrary decisions are not necess ...
law." ''Bust
Bust commonly refers to:
* A woman's breasts
* Bust (sculpture), of head and shoulders
* An arrest
Bust may also refer to:
Places
* Bust, Bas-Rhin, a city in France
*Lashkargah, Afghanistan, known as Bust historically
Media
* ''Bust'' (magazin ...
'''s Sholeh Hajmiragha began by praising Jasmine's progressiveness: "she challenges her ascribed life as a princess, is skeptical of marriage, and, by falling in love with poor Aladdin, upsets the class system." However, in the end the author criticized the character for being "very sexualized," explaining "while female sexuality is something to be proud and in control of, it maybe isn't the best message for young girls." Opening that Jasmine's role lacks significance, Feminist Fiction deemed her an example of how "Disney treats its female characters when they're ''not'' the protagonist of the story," elaborating "it looks like Disney put a lot of effort into giving Jasmine girl power and independence, at least in her dialogue and attitude," but "didn't follow through and give her strength in the plot itself." The website also observed that the character's feminism does not appear to extend beyond "lip service," ultimately criticizing Jasmine of using her sexuality instead of her intelligence to "save the day" before finally reverting to the role of a damsel in distress awaiting rescue. ''The Routledge Companion to Media & Gender'' author Cynthia Carter believes that Jasmine becomes "the possession of erhusband" by the end of the film.
Within the realm of the internet, the scene during which Jasmine kisses Jafar in order to distract him from Aladdin is oftentimes viewed as a point of contention among feminist writers and bloggers; Meredith Ancret of ''The Snark Who Hunts Back'' argued that both the Sultan and Genie are similarly enslaved by Jafar. Ancret continued to defend Jasmine for being of her own mind, bravely defying Jafar on numerous occasions, and praised her distraction of the villain for being instrumental to Aladdin's success. Also defending Jasmine's decision to kiss Jafar, feminist critic Mari Rogers explained to ''The Daily Dot
''The Daily Dot'' is a digital media company covering the culture of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Founded by Nicholas White in 2011, ''The Daily Dot'' is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
The site, conceived as the Internet's "hometo ...
'' that "Jasmine was a strong character and I think in many ways the story's focus on Aladdin sort of makes us forget this," concluding, "Even in her own movie, she was always the force behind her decisions. She went out seeking things." Awarding ''Aladdin'' a "neutral" grade in terms of feminism, Fanny Pack wrote that "What stops ''Aladdin'' from being wholly negative ... is the sheer strength of Jasmine as a character," who "seems to take the best parts of Ariel and Belle and build them into an even better, stronger, and sassier princess."
BuzzFeed compiled a list citing "15 Times Jasmine From ''Aladdin'' Was The Most Feminist Disney Princess." The same website included Jasmine rejecting traditional standards of marriage second on its list of "27 Feminist Disney Moments That Unapologetically Smashed The Patriarchy." Ranking Jasmine second on a list analyzing "Which Disney Princess Most Embodies Feminist Principles," author Shannon Larson of ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' appreciated the character for rejecting the idea of marriage being necessary, asserting her right to marry whomever and owning her sexuality, but criticized the fact that she does not complete her attempt to escape royal oppression. Sonia Saraiya of '' Nerve'' ranked Jasmine fifth in her article "Ranked: Disney Princesses From Least To Most Feminist." Saraiya praised her personality, likening her boldness, curiosity, and skepticism of marriage to that of Belle while commending her for "falling for a completely inadequate 'street rat' and whisking him out of poverty, instead of the other way around." However, Saraiya labeled Jasmine's use of sexuality her "only power," criticizing her for sending a negative message to young girls. When questioned about whether or not Jasmine is a positive role model because "all she wants to do is get married," Larkin herself defended her character, explaining, "That's not true. Jasmine says to a generation of little kids about marriage that the law is wrong. She risks everything—her safety, her comfort, everything she knows—and goes out and finds a way to change the marriage law ... Yeah, she's a good role model!' Really good! Whether it's connected or not, that person that the writers created that I got to portray, I'm so proud of her. And I feel like she was ahead of her time."
Racial controversy
Famously, Jasmine was Disney's first princess of color; her unprecedented ethnicity is credited with ultimately inspiring the studio to become more ethnically diverse, as evidenced by the subsequent introduction of their non-white princesses Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...
and Mulan
Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history.
According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...
. Universally accepted, the character's status as Disney's first Arabic princess "won over hearts" upon the film's 1992 release, according to Andre Tartar of Vulture.com. However, while the fact that the princess is Middle Eastern is considered to be "a breakthrough," at the same time the characteristics of both Jasmine and Aladdin have been met with controversy; observers widely criticized the characters for being Westernized
Westernization (or Westernisation), also Europeanisation or occidentalization (from the ''Occident''), is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in areas such as industry, technology, science, education, politics, econo ...
and Anglicized
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influenc ...
. In her book ''Thinking Class: Sketches from a Cultural Worker'', author Joanna Kadi joked that Jasmine is "as Arab as baseball and apple pie
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. The earliest printed recipe is from England. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), or cheddar cheese. It is gene ...
." The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) states that it is "the largest Arab American grassroots civil rights organization in the United States." According to its webpage it is open to people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities ...
was particularly disgruntled by the treatment of the lead characters, with Don Bustany
Donald S. Bustany (August 10, 1928 – April 23, 2018) was an American radio and television broadcaster.
Biography
Bustany was born in Detroit to Lebanese-American parents. He and radio host/voice actor Casey Kasem were childhood friends, and la ...
accusing Disney of teaching "that anyone with an accent is bad." ''The Arabian Nights Reader'' author Ulrich Marzolph observed that the character speaks "perfect American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances i ...
" despite her "ostensibly Middle Eastern features," and have conveniently American accents in spite of their "alleged Arab ethnicity." In his book ''The Mouse that Roared: Disney and the End of Innocence'', author Henry A. Giroux accused "the anglicized Jasmine and Aladdin" of communicating in American English, while the film's villains have strong foreign accents.
Critics have also derided that the film's "bad" characters appear to be exaggerated in appearance, overweight, drawn with dark skin, large noses and damaged teeth, while Jasmine's skin tone remains lighter in comparison. Slim in stature, Jasmine also lacks obvious character flaws in both her personality and speech. ''Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice Ð 3rd Edition'' author Paul Kivel dubbed this " racial coding," a practice also believed to have been used to differentiate the good from bad characters in ''The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' (1994). According to ''Debating Disney: Pedagogical Perspectives on Commercial Cinema author Douglas Brode'', ''Aladdin'' "perpetuates the same racial pyramid" present in most of Disney's films, observing that Jasmine, Aladdin and the Sultan characters at high up on the social hierarchy appear to be the film's "whitest" characters, while the villainous Jafar speaks with a thick accent and exhibits far more Arabian features. Brode accused Jasmine of "perpetuat ngdamaging stereotypes." Observing that "underneath their multicultural skin isney Princessesall conform to the white, middle-class, thin, feminine ideal of beauty," Gary Burns, author of ''A Companion to Popular Culture'', accused Jasmine of being "an American-accented girl ... who battles the traditions of older, heavily accented, traditional Arabs." Despite Disney's attempt to accurately portray the culture of the time period during which the film is set such as a lack of women in powerful positions, Isabel Santaolalla, author of ''"New" Exoticisms: Changing Patterns in the Construction of Otherness'', agreed that Jasmine remains "a vehicle for contemporary gender politics in America" despite her Middle Eastern appearance, explaining, "the film's PC credibility is reserved for Jasmine, but this feistiness probably reflects developments in America more than the realities of 1990s Basrah or Baghdad." Critics also did not appreciate the scene in which Jasmine nearly gets her hand cut off by a merchant as punishment for unintentionally stealing an apple.
Impact and legacy
According to ''The Fiscal Times
''The Fiscal Times'' (TFT) is an English-language digital news, news analysis and opinion publication based in New York City and Washington, D.C. It was founded in 2010 with initial funding from businessman and investment banker Peter G. Peters ...
'', ''Aladdin'' is Disney's fourth most profitable princess film in terms of box office returns. Having successfully established herself as a popular character, Jasmine ultimately became one of the original members of the Disney Princess franchise, and remains the only member of the lineup who is not the main character of her film. Consequently, ''Aladdin'' remains the only Disney Princess film whose featured princess is not its protagonist, and Jasmine became the first Disney Princess to marry a character who is not a prince by birth. Chronologically, Jasmine is the Disney Princess franchise's sixth member, and is considered to be one of the "classic" members of the lineup. The film ''Aladdin'' and the character of Jasmine are credited with beginning an expansion of Disney's princess characters. Before the character debuted, all of Disney's princesses in the studio's 55-year history had been either white or European in appearance. As Disney's first non-white and Arab princess, Jasmine is credited with introducing both racial
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
and ethnic diversity
The term multiculturalism has a range of meanings within the contexts of sociology, political philosophy, and colloquial use. In sociology and in everyday usage, it is a synonym for " ethnic pluralism", with the two terms often used interchang ...
to Disney's animated fairy tale genre. The character has since been succeeded by four princesses of color: Pocahontas from the eponymous 1995 film, Mulan from the eponymous 1998 film, Tiana from ''The Princess and the Frog
''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 49th Disney animated feature film, it is loosely based on the ...
'' (2009), Moana from the eponymous 2016 film, ultimately "paving the way in letting children believe that ''anyone'' of any race can be a princess." The quintet is believed to have helped diversify the studio and introduce "new visions of what a 'Disney Princess' could be." Additionally, as one of only two Disney Princesses who wear pants (the other being Mulan), Jasmine remains Disney's only princess whose official costume is not a gown or dress. According to '' Vanity Fair'', Jasmine was the first feminist Disney Princess, although author Alex Beggs admitted that this claim has been exaggerated to some degree.
Jasmine's song "A Whole New World," which she performs as a duet with Aladdin, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 65th Academy Awards
The 65th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1992 in the United States and took place on March 29, 1993, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beg ...
in 1993. Six years after ''Aladdin'', Lea Salonga would be cast as the singing voice of Mulan in 1998. Salonga joked about being required to audition for the role despite having already voiced a Disney Princess: "Why do I have to audition? ... I was already a princess before. Wasn't that enough?" Meanwhile, Larkin would return to voice Jasmine several times in subsequent media appearances, including films, television series and video games. As the two actresses responsible for giving voice to the character, both Larkin and Salonga were honored with Disney Legends Awards for their contributions in 2011 at a ceremony recognized for awarding several other actresses who famously voiced Disney Princesses. In addition to songwriters Menken and Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ...
, Salonga jokingly thanked Larkin in her acceptance speech for not being able to sing thus providing her with a job opportunity. Salonga became the Disney Legend Award's first Filipina recipient; her hand print is also imprinted at the Walt Disney headquarters in Burbank, California.
Jasmine is now revered as an iconic character and princess. '' Teen Vogue'' included Jasmine in an article recognizing the "10 Best Disney Princesses of All Time." BuzzFeed ranked Jasmine second on their "Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses" list, while E! placed character at number four. According to PureWow
PureWow is an American digital media company that publishes women's lifestyle content. Acquired by serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk in 2017 as part of Gallery Media Group, PureWow tailors lifestyle topics for Millennials and Generation X, in ...
, Jasmine is the fifth best Disney Princess because she "was not OK with her family marrying her off to some random suitor." '' Seventeen'' placed the character at number nine on a similar countdown. Author Jelani Addams Rosa wrote, "Our favorite thing about Jasmine is that her and Aladdin take turns rescuing each other," but at the same criticized her for being too judgmental. On MTV's "Ultimate Ranking of the Best Disney Princesses of All Time," Jasmine finished 10th. Refinery29 readers voted Jasmine the eighth greatest Disney Princess, garnering 351 votes. ''Seventeen'' ranked Jasmine the hottest Disney Princess, crediting her with initiating several young boys' sexual awakenings during 1992. ''Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' placed Jasmine second in its article "The 25 Hottest Cartoon Women Of All Time," praising her hair and her eyes. '' Screen Rant'' ranked Jasmine the 14th best animated film character of all time, calling her "the cool idol that we aspired to be like" and concluding that "the movie would truly not be the same if it weren't for the Princess Jasmine." ''Cosmopolitan'' placed Jasmine's signature blue outfit at number eight on the magazine's ranking of "The 37 Best Disney Princess Outfits," praising her for pulling off "a wide, jeweled headband, statement earrings, and a heavy necklace all at once without becoming overwhelmed by them."
References
External links
Jasmine
a
Disney Princess
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jasmine, Princess
Aladdin (franchise) characters
Disney Princess characters
Disney animated characters
Female characters in animated films
Film characters introduced in 1992
Animated characters introduced in 1992
Fictional sultans and sultanas
Fictional Arabs
Teenage characters in television
Teenage characters in musical theatre
Teenage characters in film
Female characters in film
Female characters in television
Female characters in musical theatre
Teenage characters in animated films