Michael James Scott dishes on performing the opening number to kick off 'Dancing With the Stars' Disney Night. Plus, he shares who he is rooting for in the dance competition.
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00:00So I have to ask, how did it feel to be the opening number?
00:03It was a true dream come true, really.
00:06I mean, to be able to get to do the opening
00:08number of Disney night on Dancing with the Stars,
00:11it's their biggest night, it was a true dream come true.
00:14I got to bring Aladdin on Broadway to the ballroom floor
00:19and choreographed by the legendary Mandy Moore, which
00:23was just insane.
00:24And she really infused and was inspired
00:27by our amazing legendary choreographer, Casey
00:30Nicholaw, and his work.
00:32And then she did her Mandy thing to it.
00:34And it was really like Dancing with the Stars
00:37doing this version and this number.
00:39And the marrying of it all was just a dream come true.
00:42And the dance, like the prose, the judges,
00:45everyone was just so amazing.
00:47The hosts, you know, everyone's just,
00:49it's been an incredible, incredible night.
00:51And is there anyone on the cast so far
00:53that you're rooting for to win the Mirror Ball?
00:56Ooh, I'm, it's a great cast this year.
00:59Like, it's such a, and there's like so many,
01:01like, people are like, they're on their teams.
01:04I love me some Alana.
01:05I love, like, she's, she's just like everything.
01:10I love her.
01:11I love me some Phaedra Parks.
01:13Like, you know, there's so many.
01:16Joey is so awesome.
01:17Like, I could keep going.
01:19I feel like they all have their like, their things.
01:21But I think those, those three really like stand out for me.
01:25And I've been like, really like,
01:26I'm like, y'all do this.
01:27It's, it's, it's amazing to watch.
01:29Yeah, and there's a lot of top contenders here.
01:31I mean, I can't even pick one.
01:33Right, as I was gonna ask you,
01:34who do you think is gonna win?
01:35Like, I don't know.
01:36People have asked me that and I'm like,
01:38I feel like, like, I don't know.
01:41Like, you know, certain years you're like,
01:42oh, they're gonna win.
01:43Or like, they're gonna win.
01:44I'm like, I don't know.
01:46Like, but I'm excited to see,
01:49to see these next couple of weeks.
01:50Because this is where it cranks up.
01:51Like, it's happening.
01:53And I know you play Genie on Broadway, correct?
01:56Okay, but I'm wondering, growing up,
01:59who was your, was Genie your favorite Disney character?
02:01Or who was your favorite Disney character?
02:03Oh gosh, listen, the Genie,
02:05the Genie's in his own category.
02:07So for me, it's obviously a special,
02:09it has a special place in my heart.
02:10But I will say, there is something about like,
02:15you know, like the old school,
02:18like, I love me like a Ursula.
02:20I love, I love Ursula.
02:24I love, I love like Mufasa, you know, like I loved,
02:29I love that.
02:30I also love me some Pocahontas.
02:31I love me some Pocahontas.
02:33That music is amazing.
02:35It would be fun to sort of see a, you know,
02:37maybe a new version of Pocahontas and, you know,
02:40and addressing some of the amazing things
02:43for our Native American community
02:44and like what that could do.
02:45I just think it would be a wonderful thing to redo
02:49and to relive and bring back,
02:51to honor that amazing community,
02:54because it's just so, it's, I could,
02:56I loved it because I connected to the music so much.
02:59So now I'm like, we're onto something
03:00about this Pocahontas now.
03:02Which brings me to my next question.
03:03I mean, I was going to ask,
03:04what Disney movie would you have wanted to see redone?
03:07Is that Pocahontas?
03:08I think it's Pocahontas.
03:09I really do.
03:10Because it was so, the music was so good.
03:12And there's such a,
03:14there's a really interesting base story.
03:17So I think honoring specifically
03:19our Native American communities
03:21and like what that is, like, you know,
03:23the indigenous people of our country
03:26and what, how that is,
03:29I think would be a really cool honor for them
03:33and a rebirth of a Disney movie
03:36that I think deserves that.
03:39I love that.
03:40Thank you so much for speaking with us today.
03:42Yes, of course.
03:43Thank you for having us.
03:44Of course.
03:47Bye.