[music]
Hey, guys! It's Alexys.
I am hanging out in New York City on the eve of Aladdin's 25th Anniversary,
which means there's only one thing to do...
see Aladdin on Broadway.
But first, I have a surprise for you guys.
So follow me. Let's go backstage.
[music]
Okay, everyone.
I am here with Jonathan Freeman, the original voice of Jafar
and the originator of the role on Broadway.
Hey, Jonathan.
Hi, Alexys.
So are you getting ready for the show?
Actually, I'm getting ready to watch a movie.
Would you like to watch it with me?
Sure. What are we watching?
[creepy laugh]
[music]
[neigh]
You are late.
A thousand apologies.
So, you see Jafar before you ever see Aladdin in the film.
So technically...
Yeah, it should have been called “Jafar.”
[laughs]
In my mind it is called Jafar.
[rewind effect]
[fast forward effect]
The Cave of Wonders.
[squawk] Cave of Wonders.
So how did you find Jafar's voice?
Did you try a bunch of different things?
They sent me a preliminary drawing.
It's not the drawing that we actually know Jafar to look like now,
but it was something-- there were a lot of similarities.
I tried to use that drawing, which was his cruel beauty, sinister sneer,
I tried to--
I just kind of worked on that and tried to smooth it out.
Mmm.
So when did you know like this is Jafar's voice?
When they booked me.
[laughs]
Jafar, can you hurry up? I'm dying in here.
[groan]
But the law says that only a prince can--
You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you?
Whoever has the gold makes the rules.
[laughs]
Although he's in disguise, you can see he's pretty decrepit.
They gave me a crutch.
Oh.
They gave me like a rag to throw around my head
or something like that, so I could actually physicalize it.
That, I didn't know was going to--
I didn't know I'd have teeth like that.
But I figured he'd be really disgusting and nasty.
You were right.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
Don't worry, everything will be fine.
Everything will be fine.
So I have a question about Jafar's staff.
Oh, you mean this one?
Whoa.
You carry this thing around with you everywhere?
Everywhere.
We're inseparable.
[laughs]
I love the way your foul, little mind works.
[evil laughs]
So Jafar just like laughs on command.
How does one just do this sinister, evil laugh?
You know, like the quiet sinister-- like a little [evil laugh].
-And then like... -Whoa.
[evil laugh]
And then it would grow and grow
and then you know what happens.
♪ Prince Ali! ♪
♪ Amorous he! ♪
♪ Ali Ababwa ♪
♪ Heard your princess was a sight lovely to see ♪
[grunts]
So what's your favorite part about the Broadway show?
I think the first time that I saw the magic carpet lift off,
I got a little choked up.
Mmm.
It was very exciting for me to see that happen,
to see it realized on stage.
It's very magical. It's very beautiful.
And, the first time that I saw it in tech, out of town,
I think it actually took my breath away a little bit,
you know, I got very excited.
And Casey Nicholaw really did a fantastic job realizing that,
you know, for the stage.
I think it was really his idea sort of like how it would happen, you know.
It was like, "This is exciting.
I'm happy I'm in the show."
I choose Prince Ali.
Prince Ali left.
Better check your crystal ball again, Jafar.
Prince Ali.
[gasp]
How in the he-- Uh. [squawk]
So Jafar and Iago,
they're obviously such a dynamic Disney villain-sidekick duo.
Did you guys actually get to work together
when you were doing the voice characters?
Yeah, I probably worked with--
We all worked together a little bit,
all the principle characters, but I worked mostly with Gilbert,
Gilbert Gottfried, that is, of course.
But mostly worked with Gilbert
because most of our scenes were together.
But when we started on the project, I actually was the voice of Iago too.
-Really? -Mmm hmm.
There's one recording you can hear of me doing it
because they didn't have an Iago yet
and they weren't sure what they were going to do with him,
and they thought that he might just talk like a parrot
and then maybe he would just mimic everybody else's voice.
You know, he mimics Jasmine's voice at one point.
[Jasmine's voice] I will have the power to get rid of you.
Until they came up with this idea, which was great,
because it allowed me to sort of smooth out Jafar
so that Iago could be the really psychotic one.
Right.
Jafar!
Get a grip.
[gasp]
Good grip.
So what was it like for you working with the directors of the film,
Ron and John?
Ron and John, they're fantastic.
They work as a team,
so usually one of them would be in the booth
and then one of them would be on the floor with you to make changes, you know.
Sometimes changes happen like right then, you know.
For example, the Genie was not always blue.
Really?
No, and I'd forgotten about it,
and I recently saw an old piece of footage
of me working in the studio and I'm actually doing a scene
where I'm talking about, "You big, green boob,"
or something like that.
And you see Ron Clements sort of walk into the frame,
like very sort of quietly, and taps me and says,
"Um, by the way, he's not green anymore, he's blue."
Oh, my gosh.
So, yeah.
[music]
You know, Al, I'm getting really--
I don't think you're him.
Tonight, the part of Al will be played by
a tall, dark, and sinister, ugly man.
[gasp] I am your master now.
I was afraid of that.
[grunt] This is one of my favorite moments.
You wanted to be a Genie, you got it...
What?
...and everything that goes with it.
[music]
No.
I'm getting out of here.
You know, I think Jafar is my favorite Disney villain.
Really?
I'm not just saying that because I'm sitting here with you,
I promise.
Really, Alexys? Say it again.
Really. Really.
[music]
[laughs]
Made you look.
Such an incredible film.
One of my favorites of all time, for sure.
Jonathan, thank you so much for watching the movie with me.
I had so much fun.
It was a pleasure, Alexys.
Hey, you better go get into hair and makeup.
Patience, Alexys.
Patience.
[gasp] And I can die happy now.