Mena Massoud, the actor who became a household name for his role as Aladdin in Disney’s live-action remake, is now reflecting on the ups and downs of his career with his latest role in Wish You Were Here, which marks Julia Stiles’s directorial debut.
Massoud has been candid about the challenges he faced after the global success of Aladdin in 2019, revealing how he struggled to get auditions despite the fame that came with the role. At a screening of Wish You Were Here in New York City, Massoud opened up about the tough lessons he’s learned in the entertainment industry. He shared with People, “I think it’s a mentality shift more than anything. We can get stuck in looking at things in a negative way or a positive way.”
For Massoud, the key to moving forward has been maturity and time. He emphasized how important it is to stay resilient through both the highs and lows of the business. Reflecting on filming Aladdin back in 2017, Massoud admitted that he feels fortunate to have had the chance to pursue acting in the first place. “You mature as you go through this industry and you realize like, I mean, look, we’re pretty lucky to do what we’re doing. There’s ups and downs in everything, and I think as long as you keep that passion for what you’re doing, that’s the most important thing,” he explained.
Since Aladdin, Massoud has been building a more varied career, taking on roles in different genres, such as the 2022 Netflix film The Royal Treatment and the 2023 horror movie The Sacrifice Game. Now, he stars in Wish You Were Here, a romantic drama directed by Stiles, known for her role in 10 Things I Hate About You. The film also stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Jennifer Grey, and Kelsey Grammer. Massoud was drawn to the movie’s themes and expressed excitement about working with Stiles, particularly because of her experience in the romance genre. Wish You Were Here was released in theaters on January 17, 2025.