The View alum Sherri Shepherd has been named Disney’s next Genie in Aladdin on Broadway. The 59-year-old will join the cast at the New Amsterdam Theatre this October, marking the first time a woman has been cast to play the fan-favorite character in any of Disney’s 11 productions of Aladdin worldwide. She has big shoes to fill as the lovable and funny Genie, with Robin Williams in the original animated movie and Will Smith in the live-action remake. Shepherd follows acclaimed stage actors including Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart and, most recently, Caleb A. Barnett. But comedy is the Less Than Perfect and 30 Rock star’s bread and butter. She just finished a national comedy tour, and she had her own semi-autobiographical sitcom and a daytime talk show—both titled Sherri. She even brought her signature brassy humor to Broadway’s Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella in 2014 as Madame, the Evil Stepmother. Shepherd is slated to perform in the long-running show through Jan. 3, 2027. Shepherd said this achievement is “a dream come true” after Disney announced her casting on Tuesday. “I’m ready to rub the lamp, unleash some magic, and have the time of my life on Broadway.”
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