1. Genie (animated)
"“You ain’t never had a friend like me!” -Genie"
Robin Williams’ Genie epitomizes everything that a Disney character should be. First, no matter what was going on, he was the center of attention. His jokes and shape-changing are usually the first things people think about. But that’s only a small part of who he was.
His sentimental moments were captivating as well. When he was willing to give up his freedom for Aladdin to be with Jasmine, there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. Imagine being so caring and understanding that you’re willing to give up your life for someone. Is there anyone in Disney ready to make a sacrifice like this?
Of course, there are his songs. Will Smith was good, but he wasn’t Robin Williams. If you had to make a list of the best songs in Disney history, there’s no way “Friend Like Me” or “Prince Ali” aren’t on the list. Robin Williams was special that way. He didn’t need the best voice to make a hit. He just had to be himself.
The Genie will always be looked at as one of the greatest of all time. To this writer, he *is* the best to ever do it. He’s a one-of-a-kind performer who portrayed a character better than anyone. There will never be another person like him.