Meet Erik Steele: the new face of Aladdin!

April 2, 2014By Aladdin3477Movie News, Production News

Erik Steele is a name and face you may not have seen before, but one you will soon get to know well as he has been cast as the charming thief in the new live-action sci-fi version of the Arabian Nights tale: Aladdin 3477. Competition for the role was fierce, as a large percentage of over 10,000 applicants who submitted to the casting call were actors hoping to nab the role of Aladdin himself.

From the beginning, Director Matt Busch set out to find a relative unknown for the character, as opposed to hiring a household name. That said, Steele has been involved with filmmaking on both sides of the camera for nearly a decade. Busch comments, “Erik is especially perfect for my vision of Aladdin because, like me, he immerses himself into almost every creative medium you could imagine. He’s even a skilled artist, so he really identifies and understands where I’m going with the concept art and visuals I create.”

Steele’s career in entertainment has had an incredible range, acting in numerous short and feature-length independent films. He also spent time honing chops with stand-up comedy. “I actually was pretty hard core into stand-up, performing at local bars every week just for fun.” Steele elaborates, “I was pretty bad but I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Busch heartily disagrees, claiming that Steele has impeccable comedic timing. “I’ve seen Erik’s work both as an actor and his stand-up. I can attest that he is downright hilarious in a classic way. He’s very physical with his comedy, there’s an honesty to it, which is perfect for this movie. He is extremely humble, works under direction incredibly well and has a work ethic you don’t see often. He’s in it to win it.”

Getting this part is exciting for Steele, considering what a fan he was of the Disney animated versions as a kid. “I loved the films when I was younger, and even remember the animated TV show being a staple of my day to day life. There’s something about an underdog coming out on top that is always inspiring.” More recent, Steele remembers the first he heard of the Aladdin 3477 movie, “When I first heard Matt Busch was making it, I was thrilled because I know how much he loves science fiction. So right off the bat I knew we were in for super awesome sci-fi action goodness.”

How did Erik feel when he found out he got the part? “I genuinely thought Matt was kidding. I was thinking he was asking if I could help out behind-the-scenes, since that’s something I always wanted to be a part of with this movie. Once reality set in, I was a pretty excited street rat!”

I’m looking forward to any stunts the production will let me do, all the while wrapping each day looking like I’ve just been though a war covered in fake bruises and possibly some real ones, too.”

Steele is cautious not to reveal too much about this version of the Aladdin tale, but does offer some insight on what he hopes deliver to his character. “What I’m really hoping to bring to Aladdin is his devotion to his friends and family. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for some amazing friends sticking their necks out for me every once in a while.”

In addition to working with talented individuals, Erik Steele is looking forward to getting down and dirty on the set. “I’m looking forward to any stunts the production will let me do, all the while wrapping each day looking like I’ve just been though a war covered in fake bruises and possibly some real ones, too.” What does his inner-nerd look forward to seeing on the screen? “Well, I’m a pretty geeky guy, so I’ll be pumped to see all the lasers and flying spacecrafts in action. However, I’ll mostly be excited to see how the relationships between all the characters play out in the film.”

Aside from his new role in Aladdin 3477 filming this summer, Steele is a freelance filmmaker who has recently partnered with fellow filmmakers moving into their own revamped studio space called TH3 STUDIO. Having his hands in several projects, one is an animated project he has been working on with his brother, Ryan Steele, for years. Erik elaborates, “It’s an animated cartoon about food living in my stomach. It’s been a few years in the making now, but hope to finish up sometime this year.”

Want to contact Aladdin himself? Erik Steele’s social media of choice is to Tweet. “My Twitter account is @KIREELEETS (SteeleErik backwards). If anyone wants to drop a line, you have 140 characters or less.” Be sure to follow Erik on Twitter, and like the elusive street rat about to turn into a big-time prince, catch him while you can!