Who wore it better: Will Smith or Tobias Fünke? An EW investigation (original) (raw)
Published on February 11, 2019 11:12AM EST
Will Smith just blue himself.
After the first look at Aladdin appeared on EW's cover back in December, the world collectively freaked out over Smith, who stars as the Genie, being in human form. The actor assured everyone that he would in fact be blue, just like Robin Williams' original animated version. And during Sunday night's Grammy Awards, we got what we thought we wanted via the new trailer.
Upon Genie's appearance, the internet quickly forgot about the Grammys and went to work with their reactions, memes, and comparisons, with the funniest and closest one being Smith side-by-side with our favorite aspiring Blue Man Group member: _Arrested Development_‘s Tobias Fünke (played by David Cross).
DISNEY; NETFLIX
And with it being awards season and all, the similarities got us buy-curious about who wore it better. So here is our official breakdown of the match-up.
The hair
I'm gonna be honest, what had me most conflicted upon seeing Smith's Genie for the first time wasn't the lack of blue, it was the hair. I'd probably still be thinking about the hair if the blue hadn't been one gigantic distraction. And with that being said, the bald look just seems so much more natural with this color.
Advantage: Tobias (as long as he stays away from those hair plugs)
The physique
Lost in all the blue talk is how jacked Smith's Genie is. The Genie is so ripped that, honestly, I might take him in a fight against any Smith character not named Muhammad Ali — and that's with not even allowing him his Genie powers. Like seriously, how big is the inside of that lamp? Because clearly there's enough room for a home gym. Sorry, Tobias, you never stood a chance here for those meaty leading man parts.
Advantage: Will
The accessories
Smith's Genie has got some serious swag, courtesy of all the bling he's rocking, some of which makes him look like he's after all of the Infinity Stones. Meanwhile, Tobias is a simple man, preferring glasses and jean shorts. Carl Weathers' most prominent acting student may often get ridiculed for being a Never Nude, but here, it's a positive, as the jean shorts only enhance the blue look. <iframe class="giphy-embed" src="https://giphy.com/embed/9fAofsg03NcSk" width="480" height="271" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" resize="0" replace_attributes="1" name="">oNvo¾5õÏëÍ뇹}í›VýãnßÕÞ½éÝü
Advantage: Tobias
The confidence
I'd argue that Tobias might be at his most confident when he's blue, or really when he's being anybody but himself (Long live Mrs. Featherbottom). But he lost this battle long before we saw any footage of the new Genie. Last April, Disney executive Cathleen Taff described Smith's take as a "little Fresh Prince, little Hitch, and a whole lot of attitude." I mean, if that doesn't give us hope, then what will?
Advantage: Will
The blue
If Tobias ever becomes a full-fledged member of the Blue Man Group, then he will surely have professional help getting blued up. But for now, he paints himself, even when it's totally premature. And on the other side, Will had a Disney CGI budget to take care of him. <iframe class="giphy-embed" src="https://giphy.com/embed/10pfRp3N7VLWSc" width="480" height="267" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" resize="0" replace_attributes="1" name="">
Advantage: Will
The final verdict
It really came down to the wire, but in the end, Smith blue himself best. So to honor his victory, let's have an open mind on Hitch 2 Aladdin and Smith's Genie, instead of fully judging it off of five seconds of footage. And also, let's definitely spend two minutes remembering what a treasure Tobias Fünke is.
Related content: