Turns out Disney has more power over its stars than you might think, as Aladdin star Mena Massoud needed approval from the company before accepting a role on Hulu's new original series, Reprisal.

Massoud starred as the titular character in Disney's live-action remake of Aladdin this summer, alongside Will Smith and Naomi Scott. It's one of many Disney live-action remakes of the past decade and is one of three remakes released in 2019. Aladdin became one of the highest grossing movies of the year, making over a billion dollars at the box-office. Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie managed to re-introduce the classic cartoon to a new audience, as well as add additional elements to the story.

Related: Jafar Is The Biggest Problem With The Aladdin Remake

Massoud is starring as Ethan Hart in Hulu's new gangster thriller Reprisal. The new series follows a femme fatale on her quest of revenge after she's left for dead by her brother and a gang of gearheads. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Massoud revealed that before he was cast in the role, the producers of the show needed approval from Disney. Due to the violent nature of the show and Massoud's role as a gang member, Disney hesitated to have the star of one of its family-friendly movies appear in a mature show. Reprisal creator Josh Corbin was actually confused as to why there was an issue, as Massoud's audition took place before Aladdin's release.

Mena Massoud and Marwan Kenzari from Aladdin 2019

Disney has a history of being controlling when it comes to its stars. Disney is known for being a wholesome, family-friendly company and does its best to try to maintain that image. This can clash with the desires of the actors working with the company, as they want [brightcove_video:]free rein to take on new projects outside of Disney and its standards. This is especially true of actors that appear in their media that's catered to kids and young teens. Former Disney Channel stars like Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas have been outspoken about their time at Disney and the lack of control they were given as actors and artists.

Massoud has been very vocal lately about his life after Aladdin. He revealed that things weren't as easy as one might think after the film's success and admitted that he hasn't gotten a single audition since Aladdin's release. Massoud also made it clear that, while he was grateful to play Aladdin (especially after he was chosen out of thousands of other actors), he's also disappointed that he hasn't been able to at least "get in the room" and be given the chance to play other roles. It goes to show that success in Hollywood can be complicated, even if starring in something like Aladdin makes it seem guaranteed.

More: Frozen 2 Has The Same Problems As Disney's Live-Action Remakes

Source: Daily Beast