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After finishing his work on The Little Mermaid, lyricist Howard Ashman pitched an idea to Disney to adapt the story of Aladdin. Though initially rejected, it was picked up around the time Ashman and his musical partner, Alan Menken, agreed to work on Beauty and the Beast. Mermaid’s directors John Musker and Ron Clements joined as directors, but sadly Ashman passed away in 1991 before seeing the film come to fruition.
Aladdin was a massive success on release, becoming the highest-grossing animated film at the time, and remains one of Disney’s most beloved movies over thirty years later. A major reason for this longevity is its likable and memorable characters, many of whom, from hero to villain, rank among Disney’s best.
8 Jafar
Despite having a lot of political power as Royal Vizier, Jafar (Johnathan Freeman) lusts for the throne of Agrabah. To that end, he searches for a way to enter the Cave of Wonders (Frank Welker) and retrieve the magic lamp inside. Failing that, he’ll settle for marrying Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), regardless of her consent.
Jafar is everything audiences want from an evil advisor: he’s power-hungry, slimy, and sees others are tools for his own ascension. He is adept at using all of his skills to manipulate others, from clever disguises to minor hypnotism, before transitioning to true feats of sorcery in the film’s climax. This makes him rank highly among Disney villains, but as a likable person, he’s at the bottom of the pile.
7 Iago
Wherever Jafar goes, he is accompanied by his parrot, Iago (Gilbert Gottfried). To the residents of the palace, he is an ordinary parrot who enjoys mimicking the odd sentence here or there. However, he is actually fully sentient and longs to see Jafar rise so that he can punish those who treat him like a dumb animal.
Iago takes after his master in many ways, such as his selfish nature and delight in the suffering of others. He’s a bit more redeemable due to the loyalty he shows to Jafar, which makes for a fun dynamic between the two villains. Gotffried’s distinctive voice adds even more personality.
6 The Sultan
Between ruling Agrabah and managing his daughter, the Sultan (Douglas Seale) leads a rather busy life. Though he cares about Jasmine’s happiness, he feels bound to the law that she must marry before her next birthday. Unfortunately, Jafar uses his hypnotic power to assume more political control from the Sultan to fulfill his ambitions for power.
The Sultan isn’t always a perfect leader or father, but he tries his best. He does love his daughter, and in the end, abolishes the law that forces Jasmine to marry, but only after Aladdin saves the day and reveals he isn’t a prince. His naive nature leads to a few funny scenes, but it’s also what makes him so susceptible to Jafar’s manipulations.
5 Abu
The closest friend of the street-rat, Aladdin (Scott Weinger), Abu (Frank Welker) is his partner in crime. This sticky-fingered simian is always ready to blindside a guard or distract a merchant, so Aladdin can snag them some food. However, his greed has a habit of getting him, and by extension Aladdin, into trouble.
Abu’s personality is like that of a young boy. He can be selfish and myopic, especially when he’s starved for attention, and can throw a fit when he doesn’t get his way. However, he’s also fiercely loyal to Aladdin, and beneath his greed, he has a generous heart for those in need.
4 Magic Carpet
While exploring the Cave of Wonders, Aladdin and Abu ran into a magic carpet. Excited to have someone to hang out with after thousands of years, Carpet eagerly leads them towards the lamp. After saving Aladdin from falling to his death when the cave collapsed, he stuck around and became Aladdin’s main form of transportation.
For not having a face, Carpet manages to be one of the most expressive characters in the entire film. The animators did a superb job capturing his emotional state with nothing but body movements, allowing a simple but strong personality to form through actions. He is a kind, loyal individual, shy to make new friends, but willing to risk everything to keep them safe.
3 Jasmine
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Having lived her whole life within the trappings of nobility, Princess Jasmine longs for a life outside the walls of the palace. This desire has only increased due to her father pressuring her to marry. It gets to a point where she tries to sneak out of the palace and runs into Aladdin.
While Jasmine isn’t quite as good as other Disney Princesses, she’s still a wonderful character. Despite the limitations put on her by the law, she’s resourceful and can pick up on small details quickly. She’s also very kind, and willing to help out the unfortunate population of Agrabah in any way she can.
2 Aladdin
Tired of living off thievery, Aladdin dreams of the day when he can be rich and finally get the respect he deserves. After meeting Jasmine, he also becomes determined to win her love. This leads to him accepting Jafar’s offer of delving into the Cave of Wonders for the magic lamp.
What makes Aladdin one of Disney’s best princes is how well handled his character and story arc are. He’s a young man who struggles with self-esteem issues that he thinks will be solved by being someone else, which is relatable to a lot of young audiences. Years on the street have made him a master of conning others, but deep down, he has a good heart and tries to do what’s right.
1 Genie
Within the magic lamp lies an immortal and all-powerful Genie (Robin Williams). To whoever releases him from the lamp, he is bound to grant them three wishes within limited restrictions. One day, he hopes to find a master kind enough to give up one of their wishes to grant him freedom.
The Genie is a once-in-a-blue-moon type of character and his impact is still being felt in animated films today. Williams’ jokes are diverse and hilarious, which inspired other animated movies to bring in celebrity talent to sell their movies. Yet what really makes the character work is his strong friendship with Aladdin, which sees both characters bring out the best in each other.
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