Princess Jasmine[1][2] is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' 31st animated feature film Aladdin

(1992). Voiced by American actress Linda Larkin – with a singing voice provided by Filipina singer Lea Salonga – Jasmine is the
spirited Princess of Agrabah, who has grown weary of her life of palace confinement. Despite an age-old law stipulating that the
princess must marry a prince in time for her upcoming birthday, Jasmine is instead determined to marry someone she loves for who
he is as opposed to what he owns. Created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker with screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry
Rossio, Jasmine is based on Badroulbadour, a princess who appears in the One Thousand and One Nights folktale "Aladdin and the
Magical Lamp".Originally conceived as a spoiled, materialistic princess, the writers eventually re-wrote Jasmine into a stronger and
more prominent heroine following the elimination of Aladdin's mother from the script, while borrowing story elements from the
romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953). Several months after securing the role, Larkin was nearly fired from the project because
Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg felt that her voice was not suitable for a princess, but Clements and Musker managed to
convince him otherwise. Discovered by casting director Albert Tavares, Salonga was cast as Jasmine's singing voice based on her
performance in the musical Miss Saigon; this unprecedented casting decision made Jasmine the first Disney character to have her
speaking and singing voices provided by two different actors. Animated by Mark Henn, Jasmine's design is an eclectic combination
of unique sources, including an anonymous theme park guest, Henn's own sister, and actress Jennifer Connelly, while elements of
the Taj Mahal were incorporated into the character's hair, clothing and physique.Unlike most of Disney's princesses, Jasmine holds
the distinction of being a supporting character in her own film, having been relegated to the secondary role of love interest. The
character has garnered mixed reviews, with much denunciation directed towards her storyline and personality, both of which critics
have dismissed as uninteresting and unoriginal; they have also accused Jasmine of lacking the depth of her predecessors Ariel and
Belle from The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991), respectively, to whom she continues to be heavily compared.
However, as the sixth Disney Princess and the franchise's first non-white member, the character is credited with introducing racial
diversity to Disney's princess genre, although she has at the same time been criticized for being Westernized and Anglicized in both
appearance and demeanor. Jasmine has made subsequent appearances in Aladdin's sequels The Return of Jafar (1994) and
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996), as well as its television series and a Broadway musical adaption of the film. Both Larkin and
Salonga have been awarded Disney Legends for their contributions to the role. Naomi Scott is set to play the character in a live
action adaptation of the 1992 film.The character's blurb on the official Disney website reads, "Jasmine is an independent, fiery
beauty capable of taking care of herself" who "longs to experience life outside the palace."[29] The writers had originally conceived
Jasmine as a spoiled and materialistic princess whose interests were limited to clothing and jewelry, but eventually developed her
into a stronger, more mature character.[22] Larkin described Jasmine as "a very strong, well defined character from the very
beginning."[16] Mark Henn served as Jasmine's supervising animator. Having originally been hired to animate Aladdin's mother, the
removal of the character from the film ultimately provided Henn with the opportunity to animate Jasmine instead.[9] Throughout
Disney's previous animated film Beauty and the Beast, the design of the heroine Belle – whom Henn had also helped animate –
suffered from various inconsistencies due to the character having been animated at two completely separate studio locations.[12] To
avoid experiencing a similar dilemma with Jasmine, the filmmakers ultimately decided to have the princess animated entirely at one
studio.[12] Because Jasmine is the film's love interest as opposed to its main character, the princess was animated at the company's
secondary studio in Florida, while Aladdin was animated in California.[12] However, the more intimate love scenes between the two
leads proved particularly difficult to animate as a result of the 2000 mile distance between the two studios and animators.[30] Out of
his desire to incorporate Arabian architecture into the film, art director Bill Perkins based Jasmine's design on the famous
mausoleum the Taj Mahal, particularly the curves demonstrated in the character's hair, clothes and jewelry.[6]Having just recently
animated two previous Disney heroines – Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Belle from Beauty and the Beast, respectively –[31] Henn
initially suffered from a severe case of "artist's block" while attempting to design his third heroine, Jasmine.[8] While working on the
character at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida, Henn noticed a young female amusement park guest with long black hair, and
ultimately decided to use her as his initial inspiration for Jasmine; the guest's identity remains anonymous to-date.[32] Earliest
sketches of Jasmine were based on various exotic-looking supermodels in addition to her namesake Jasmine Guy, but the actress'
facial features were ultimately considered to be too "severe" for an animated character.[6] In search of "something fresh to help with
the physical look of her",[30] Henn was eventually inspired by a high school graduation photograph of his younger sister Beth
Allen,[33][34] who wore her hair in a style similar to what would ultimately become Jasmine's.[8] Henn credits his sister with helping him
overcome his artist's block,[35] and the directors ultimately approved of Henn's concept design.[6] The character's facial features were
further inspired by actress Jennifer Connelly,[36][37] specifically her eyebrows.[34] Additionally, some of Larkin's own mannerisms and
physical traits were incorporated into the character.[8] Henn credits one particular dinner conversation he had shared with Larkin
with proving very inspirational in terms of helping him discover Jasmine's emotional side.[30]The final appearance of Jasmine
consequently inspired the studio to redesign Aladdin accordingly because Katzenberg felt that the main character, who was
originally depicted as a younger, "scrawny" underdog,[3] did not resemble a suitable leading man for Jasmine,[32] which they feared
would result in unconvincing chemistry between the couple.[38] Thus, they ultimately decided to base Aladdin on actor Tom Cruise
instead.[32] Henn's favorite sequence to animate was the scene in which Jasmine discovers Aladdin's true identity and gives him "a
look".[9] The filmmakers decided to dress Jasmine in blue to symbolically represent water, which is "the most precious substance one
can find in a desert".[6] The animators sat the character next to a fountain when she is first introduced in the film to further emphasize
this motif and comparison.[6] With her appearance finalized, Jasmine became Disney's first non-white princess as opposed to being
of European heritage.[11][33]

Characteristics and beliefs[edit]

As a character, Jasmine is both similar to and different from Disney heroines who proceeded her.[18] She possesses many qualities
associated with traditional Disney Princesses,[39] grace and beauty among them.[40]However, marketed by Disney as "a heroine of the
Nineties",[41] Jasmine is "born-before-her-time", and thus her intelligence and ambitions tend to more-so resemble contemporary
incarnations, namely Belle.[40] Brian Lowry of Variety likened Jasmine's strong-willed personality to that of Belle, describing her as an
"anachronistically liberated" heroine.[42] Meanwhile, The Hollywood News' Rob Burch observed that the princess is very similar to
Ariel, being "independent, beautiful, and desperate for the chance to live her own life," while at the same time concealing kindness
beneath "a shield of anger".[43] Belonging to "a series of spunky heroines" inspired by both contemporary feminism and the girl power
movement,[44][45][46] Jasmine was recognized by Hearing a Film, Seeing a Sermon: Preaching and Popular Movies author Timothy B.
Cargal as a member of Disney's "continued efforts to reshape their heroines for a more feminist age",[47] in addition to providing
young girls with strong female role models with whom they can identify.[46] At only 15 years of age,[48] Jasmine is already more
resourceful than her two immediate predecessors,[44] while sharing their same preference for assertiveness and empowerment over
passiveness, traits echoed by several other Disney Princesses introduced throughout the decade.[39][49] At the same time, Jasmine is
depicted as being feistier than Belle and less naive than Ariel.[50]Distinctively, Jasmine is not Aladdin's protagonist, a role held instead
by title character Aladdin, while Jasmine herself occupies a secondary role as the film's love interest,[39][51] consequently lacking
significant character development.[52] However, sometimes both characters are collectively referred to as protagonists,[53] while
Jasmine is sometimes identified as the film's "female protagonist".[54] The First Novels Club observed that Jasmine essentially "ends
up the same person as when she started."[55] Little is known about Jasmine's interests, hobbies and goals.[52] The Art of the Princess
and the Frog author Jeff Kurrti wrote that although "Jasmine is less prominent as a heroine ... she made decisions and was a little
more strong-willed".[56] Samantha Rullo of Bustle agreed that, despite her secondary role, Jasmine remains "determined to live her
life the way she wants to, rather than letting others make her decisions for her", and thus ranks among Disney's most rebellious
princesses.[57] Jasmine's personality continues to rank among Disney's "strongest" heroines because she is not concerned about
wealth or social class,[57] despite her opulent upbringing.[2] Similarly, Jasmine is not interested in marrying someone who is capable of
only offering her everything she already owns, opting for excitement and companionship instead.[40]Alongside Aladdin's other main
characters, Jasmine embodies the film's central theme of longing for freedom from some form of confinement or oppression.[13][39]
Both the film and its characters are influenced by Jasmine's "power of choice".[58] The character's desire for both freedom and a
sense of agency is constantly threatened by other characters and situations;[58] the sole decision Jasmine maintains complete
agency over during the entire film is who she falls in love with – aided by the Genie's refusal to use his magical powers to force
characters to fall in love – although not who she marries.[58] Although Jasmine yearns to explore her kingdom beyond the confines of
her palace, she only gets as far as the marketplace before returning home.[40] Jasmine explores "the idea that enclosing yourself
behind walls can make you more vulnerable, not less", as evidenced by the fact that the character is unprepared and knows little
about money when she ventures into the marketplace for first time.[12] In the film, Jasmine releases a flock of birds from their cage,
which serves as a metaphor for her own situation, being "caged from a world she has never seen and yearns to be released."[6]
Jasmine's bedroom is also shaped like a bird cage to represent her own confinement.[6] Jasmine's story also explores themes such
as civil rights, racial tolerance, social hierarchy, and Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.[6]

Feminism, marriage laws and gender[edit]

Jasmine demonstrates several traits, beliefs and ideologies associated with feminism,[59] exercising much "feminist potential",
although notably less explicit than Belle's.[60][61] Nonetheless, the character still adheres to traditional romance-oriented aspirations
commonly associated with Disney's princess characters despite "her modern, feminist attitude",[43] although her yearning for
romance is much more subdued in comparison.[58]Steve Daly of Entertainment Weekly identified Jasmine as "a sexually aware,
proto-feminist princess".[62] "New" Exoticisms: Changing Patterns in the Construction of Otherness author Isabel Santaolalla wrote
that Jasmine appears to have inherited "the legacy bequeathed by the 1960s Women's Movement."[63] Having "stepped out of the
90s" according to The Washington Post's Desson Howe, Jasmine is appropriately opposed to the glass ceiling."[64] Defying marriage
laws and arranged marriages are also among Jasmine's central themes.[39] Larkin believes that her character is responsible for
inspiring a change in her kingdom's marriage laws, explaining, "Jasmine didn't just believe in something, she fought against
something that she saw was an injustice ... She actively sought change and made it happen."[18] Musker agreed that the princess
"rebel[s] against the social structure in choosing to marry someone of her own free will".[65] According to singer Brad Kane, who
provides Aladdin's singing voice, "Aladdin is a stealth feminist movie" because Jasmine is "willing to give up being a princess to not
get stuck marrying someone."[19] Jasmine's defiance eventually successfully convinces her father to change the constitution.[66]The
only named, speaking[40] female character in the male-dominated film, Jasmine lacks both female companions and a motherly
figure[40][52][55][67] (the male characters account for 90% of the film's dialogue).[68] The character has come to resent the patriarchal
society in which she lives.[69] Movies and the Mind: Theories of the Great Psychoanalysts Applied to Film author William Indick
observed that Jasmine represents "the rejection of the father-king's domination and control over his daughter's life", resembling "a
strong and assertive heroine who rebels against her father's tyranny rather than passively accepting his will."[70] Jasmine's life is
almost entirely determined by men,[71] by whom she refuses to be ordered,[59] constantly voicing her disapproval by rejecting
arrogant suitors and yelling at men who attempt to make decisions on her behalf, while challenging traditional gender roles and
male authority figures.[52][72] Jasmine's father, the Sultan, responds to his daughter's constant rejection of potential suitors with "I
don't know where she gets it from. Her mother wasn't nearly so picky", indicating that Jasmine's mother "belonged to a generation of
docile pre-feminist ... women."[63] At times Jasmine can seem judgmental; she originally has a thoroughly negative opinion of all
princes until she meets a disguised Aladdin.[73] In Ulrich Marzolph's book The Arabian Nights Reader, the author described the
character as "the mouthpiece of opposition to a vaguely defined Middle Eastern backwardness and authoritarianism."[65]

Critical response[edit]

Critical opinions of Jasmine have been generally mixed; some critics appreciated the character for continuing to "break the mold"
that had been established by Disney's earliest princesses.[49] Ty Burr of Entertainment Weekly described Jasmine as the "most
full-bodied (in every sense) of the new Disney heroines",[106] while Desson Howe of The Washington Post commended the character
for providing the film with "feminist consciousness".[64] The Christian Science Monitor's David Sterrit wrote that Jasmine "is less
carefully worked out [than Aladdin] but equally likable as a personality type."[107] Contactmusic.com agreed that the character
exhibits "likeably cynical streaks" despite being an "essentially bland" character.[108] Gary Thompson of the Philadelphia Daily News
wrote, "Princess Jasmine is also more barbed, yet without the obvious feminist makeover given to Belle".[61] Similarly, James
Berardinelli of ReelViews commended Jasmine for "show[ing] the same streak of stubborn independence exhibited by Ariel and
Belle," but ultimately criticized the fact that "she doesn't fill a more pressing role than that of Aladdin's 'love interest.'"[51] Agreeing that
Jasmine appears "bland" in comparison to Aladdin's supporting characters, Mari Ness of Tor.com wrote, "Jasmine follows in the
footsteps of Ariel and Belle as someone unhappy with the restrictions of her world and her lack of choices: like both of them, she
takes active steps to change this, and it's not entirely her fault that she's a secondary character in a film not all that interested in her
... She's perceptive, and fast thinking, but this isn't her movie, and in the end, although she does get to choose her own husband, she
doesn't really get a chance, like Ariel and Belle, to move out of her world. She can be shown the world, but she stays in her
palace."[12]Other critics have been much less forgiving; common critiques have derided the princess as a spoiled, shallow, bland and
overly sexualized character.[49][109] Common Sense Media criticized Jasmine for lacking an original predicament and premise,[110]
while Creative Loafing's Matt Brunson described the character as a "liberated" but "stiff" heroine.[111] Janet Maslin of The New York
Times panned Jasmine: "the sloe-eyed Princess Jasmine ... a nymph in harem pants, use[s] words like 'fabulous' and 'amazing' to
express unremarkable thoughts", concluding, "Luckily, [she is] surrounded by an overpowering array of secondary characters who
make the film's sidelines much more interesting than its supposed center."[112] Time Out called the character disappointing,[113] and
TV Guide described her as "bland".[114] Film critic Roger Ebert cited Jasmine among the film's weaknesses, dismissing the
relationship between her and Aladdin as "pale and routine" in comparison to Belle and the Beast's. Additionally, Ebert wrote that the
characters "look unformed, as if even the filmmakers didn't see them as real individuals."[115] Ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine derided
the character as "another 'free-spirited' type in the Barbie-doll tradition, a faux feminist who wants everyone to know that she can do
everything the boys can".[116] Orange Coast's Henry A. Giroux dismissed Jasmine as little more than "an object of [Aladdin]'s
immediate desire" and "stepping stone to social mobility."[71]
Feminist analysis[edit]
The reverse cover of Aladdin's original home video release proudly touted Jasmine as "a heroine of the Nineties."[41] However, It's Not
the Media: The Truth about Pop Culture's Influence on Children author Karen Sternheimer strongly disagreed with this sentiment,
writing that despite being "strong-willed and almost given feminist qualities", Jasmine nonetheless "resembles heroines of old,
waiting for her 'prince' to come and rescue her and using traditional feminine wiles to get her out of trouble."[41] The character
continues to be heavily discussed among feminist critics. Bustle included Jasmine's first encounter with Aladdin on the website's
ranking of the most feminist Disney Princess moments, with author Samantha Rullo crediting the scene with demonstrating "how
strong-willed and independent she truly is."[57] In a similar "Feminist Ranking Of All The Disney Princesses", Bustle's Chelsea Maze
appreciated Jasmine for refusing "to let the men in her life boss her around", ultimately placing the character at number eight
because she possesses "the agency to choose her own mate and follow her heart, all while financially supporting the guy she
loves."[59] Mize concluded that Jasmine is "a pretty strong woman with a solid feminist streak".[59]Both feminist and Muslim critics have
accused Jasmine of being "an offensive role model unworthy of showcasing to impressionable young girls."[54] According to Meghan
O'Keefe of Overthinking It, Jasmine possesses "tremendous" yet "ineffectual ... potential to be a feminist heroine" due to her lack of
interest in books, music, social interaction and "thirst for learning" that Ariel and Belle share.[60] O'Keefe concluded, "Jasmine's
complaints to Aladdin about palace life sound less like a budding feminist finding her voice, and more like the spoiled muse of Pulp's
'Common People'".[60] Charles I. Schuster, author of Speculations: Readings in Culture, Identity, and Values, agreed that the
character offers very little feminism apart from her "defiance of an arbitrary law".[117] Bust's Sholeh Hajmiragha began by praising
Jasmine's progressiveness: "she challenges her ascribed life as a princess, is skeptical of marriage, and, by falling in love with poor
Aladdin, upsets the class system." However, in the end the author criticized the character for being "very sexualized", explaining,
"While female sexuality is something to be proud and in control of, it maybe isn't the best message for young girls."[109] Opining that
Jasmine's role lacks significance, Feminist Fiction deemed her an example of how "Disney treats its female characters when they're
not the protagonist of the story", elaborating, "it looks like Disney put a lot of effort into giving Jasmine girl power and independence,
at least in her dialogue and attitude" but "didn't follow through and give her strength in the plot itself."[52] The website also observed
that the character's feminism does not appear to extend beyond "lipservice", ultimately criticizing Jasmine of using her sexuality
instead of her intelligence to "save the day" before finally reverting to the role of a damsel in distress awaiting rescue.[52][69] The
Routledge Companion to Media & Gender author Cynthia Carter believes that Jasmine becomes "the possession of [her]
husband".[118]Within the realm of the internet, the scene during which Jasmine kisses Jafar in order to distract him from Aladdin is
oftentimes viewed as a point of contention among feminist writers and bloggers;[119] Meredith Ancret of The Snark Who Hunts Back
argued that both the Sultan and Genie are similarly enslaved by Jafar.[11] Ancret continued to defend Jasmine for being of her own
mind, bravely defying Jafar on numerous occasions, and praised her distraction of the villain for being instrumental to Aladdin's
success.[11] Also defending Jasmine's decision to kiss Jafar, feminist critic Mari Rogers explained to The Daily Dot that "Jasmine was
a strong character and I think in many ways the story's focus on Aladdin sort of makes us forget this", concluding, "Even in her own
movie, she was always the force behind her decisions. She went out seeking things".[119]Awarding Aladdin a "neutral" grade in terms
of feminism, Fanny Pack wrote that "What stops Aladdin from being wholly negative ... is the sheer strength of Jasmine as a
character" who "seems to take the best parts of Ariel and Belle and build them into an even better, stronger, and sassier
princess".[40]BuzzFeed compiled a list citing "15 Times Jasmine From 'Aladdin' Was The Most Feminist Disney Princess".[120] The same
website included Jasmine rejecting traditional standards of marriage second on its list of "27 Feminist Disney Moments That
Unapologetically Smashed The Patriarchy".[121] Ranking Jasmine second on a list analyzing "Which Disney Princess Most Embodies
Feminist Principles", author Shannon Larson of The Huffington Post appreciated the character for rejecting the idea of marriage
being necessary, asserting her right to marry whomever and owning her sexuality, but criticized the fact that she does not complete
her attempt to escape royal oppression.[122] Sonia Saraiya of Nerve ranked Jasmine fifth in her article "Ranked: Disney Princesses
From Least To Most Feminist". Saraiya praised her personality, likening her boldness, curiosity, and skepticism of marriage to that of
Belle while commending her for "falling for a completely inadequate 'street rat' and whisking him out of poverty, instead of the other
way around." However, Saraiya labeled Jasmine's use of sexuality her "only power", criticizing her for sending a negative message to
young girls.[123] When questioned about whether or not Jasmine is a positive role model because "all she wants to do is get married",
Larkin defended her character, explaining, "That's not true. Jasmine says to a generation of little kids about marriage that the law is
wrong. She risks everything—her safety, her comfort, everything she knows—and goes out and finds a way to change the marriage
law ... Yeah, she's a good role model!' Really good! Whether it's connected or not, that person that the writers created that I got to
portray, I'm so proud of her. And I feel like she was ahead of her time."[124] Meanwhile, Jasmine's inability to recognize Aladdin despite
his disguise has been met with controversy, comparing this characteristic to the relationship between Lois Lane and Clark
Kent/Superman, and questioning the princess' intelligence.[69][125]