‘One Of A Kind Person’: Scott Weinger Recalls His First Meeting With Aladdin Co-Star Robin Williams

by

As a die-hard fan who grew up in the era of VHS tapes and Disney magic, I can’t help but feel eternally grateful for the cosmic alignment that brought Robin Williams and me together, even if it was only through voice acting. Meeting my childhood hero, the man behind Mork & Mindy and Dead Poets Society, was a moment that still leaves me starstruck a decade later.

Scott Weinger is reminiscing about his initial encounter with Robin Williams, approximately ten years after the revered performer’s passing on August 11, 2014. At the time, Weinger was only 15 and met Williams before the start of production for Disney’s 1992 animated masterpiece, Aladdin. In this movie, Scott voiced the character Aladdin, who uncovers a magical carpet and lamp that conjures a genie, portrayed by the late Robin Williams.

In conversation with folks, the actor from Fuller House reminisced about his initial encounter with one of his childhood idols. He explained, “It seemed like it was when I first met him; we were introduced and someone mentioned, ‘This is Scott, he’s Aladdin.’ And he shook my hand, replying, ‘I’ll be your genie,'” he shared. “I thought that was quite neat,” he added.

It wasn’t unexpected that Weinger became star-struck when meeting the comedy legend, given that the first VCR his family owned played Williams’ 1980 film Popeye. By the time he was 15 and landed a role in Aladdin, he was an ardent fan of the late actor’s 1989 film Dead Poets Society, which had become his all-time favorite movie.

As a devoted admirer, I can attest that at the time, Williams was not just a shining star but also possessed an exceptional sense of comic timing that left Weinger in stitches during filming. I vividly remember an instance from the set where the charismatic Mr. Doubtfire, renowned for his humorous impromptus, was recording lines.

In the recording studio, everyone else was separated by six inches of glass. Looking through the window, Weinger saw them, visibly distraught, bent over and weeping uncontrollably. This memory still resonates with him. Despite trying to maintain his composure and act professionally, the Shredder actor found himself unable to suppress his laughter. Eventually, he gave in and collapsed on the floor, overcome by it all.

Over a span of twenty years following the release of Aladdin animated movies and the passing of Good Will Hunting actor, his co-stars maintained contact and met on special occasions at formal gatherings. As he expressed, “He was an extraordinary individual whom I was extremely lucky to encounter.”

Weinger is thankful to have shared the same professional sphere, even briefly, with the iconic actor, and feels honored to have been linked to him through their work in this film for eternity.

Read More

2024-08-11 19:08