Goldberg Recalls Williams' Improvisational Magic on Aladdin's Genie

Disney animator Eric Goldberg was honored as a Disney Legend at the 2026 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony on August 16. Goldberg, who is now 71 years old, worked closely with Robin Williams to bring Aladdin's Genie to life in the 1992 movie. As the lead animator for Genie, Goldberg remembered how Williams' many improvisations added a special magic to the character. 'Whenever he was in front of the recording room's mic, it all comes out 100%, and he spoiled us for choice,' Goldberg said.

Goldberg explained that they originally imagined Genie as a puff of smoke who could transform and do anything. However, Williams surprised them by doing lots of impersonations of famous people during his recordings. 'We didn't expect when we first started recording him,' Goldberg said. 'But John Musker and Ron Clements wrote the character with archetypes like, 'He's an evangelist, he's an army sergeant, he's a game show host.' But when Robin first recorded, out came all the celebrity impressions and we went, 'We can't not use this stuff. This has to be in the movie,' '

The biggest challenge with Genie was making people believe he was sincere, that he had something to give up when Aladdin and the Genie separated at the end of the movie. Goldberg praised Williams' ability to do both outrageous comedy and warm, subtle moments.