A Round of Applause For Nasim Pedrad, Who Steals Every Scene in Aladdin
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While it's always hard to see beloved movies reworked as they fall prey to the endless reboot trend currently sweeping Hollywood, rest assured that most of the updates in the live-action version of Aladdin are good ones. There's a hell of a lot more Parkour, for instance, and we get to see the Genie (aka Will Smith) spend quite a bit of time in human form (which is great, since his blue alter-ego is a little unsettling). You should also be prepared to meet a few new characters.
Like Billy Magnussen's doofy Prince Anders, the character of handmaiden Dalia — Jasmine's hilarious and loyal confidante — is a brand-new addition to the classic tale. The fact that she steals nearly every scene she's in should come as no surprise when you remember who's playing her: comedy queen Nasim Pedrad. The 37-year-old actress has been in everything from Saturday Night Live to the Despicable Me sequel, racking up laugh-out-loud one-liners along the way.
Curious about which shows and movies you should check out now that you've seen Aladdin and need more of Pedrad's humor in your life? You've come to the right place. Ahead, check out her most notable roles so far, including our personal favorite (her Arianna Huffington impression on SNL, obviously).
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Scream Queens
Pedrad popped up as the '80s-obsessed Gigi Caldwell in Scream Queens, who soon found herself entangled in the bloody murders plaguing the Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University.
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Mulaney
The actress appeared in this short-lived sitcom as Jane, the roommate to comedian John Mulaney's character named . . . John Mulaney.
Saturday Night Live
Pedrad made a name for herself on SNL with her impressions, playing Kim Kardashian to Jay Pharoah's Kanye, as well as Wild Wild Country's Ma Anand Sheela, Nicki Minaj, Aziz Ansari, Sonia Sotomayor, Arianna Huffington (her best impression, to be honest), and more. She also had a number of recurring characters under her belt, like the sleepover obsessed Bedelia.
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The Mindy Project
Pedrad had a guest starring role in one episode of Mindy Kaling's Hulu comedy as Dr. Jasmin Maloof, pediatrician to the stars.
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New Girl
If you're a New Girl fan, then you'll likely recognize Pedrad from her arc as Aly Nelson, Winston's partner in the LAPD.
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Cooties
In this 2014 horror comedy, a virus spreads at an elementary school, transforming the young students into a bloodthirsty swarm of savages. Pedrad appears as Rebekkah, who finds herself among the band of teachers fighting for their lives.
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Aladdin
Most recently, Pedrad can be seen playing Dalia, Jasmine's handmaiden in Aladdin. Keep an eye out for her next in 2019's Desperados, a Netflix comedy about three women who head to Mexico to fix an unfortunate situation.