Aladdin's Genie Comes to Life at Madame Tussauds To Scare Tourists

By Inside Edition

Updated: 1:33 PM PDT, March 31, 2016

An April Fool's Day prank came early.

When these visitors arrived at Madame Tussauds in Times Square, they thought they were posing with a wax figure of the Genie from Broadway’s Aladdin.

But one problem: the figure wasn’t a statue. It was actually the actor who brings the character to life each night.

Read: Airbnb Offers Night Inside Shark Tank in Glass-Paneled Room

As a video shows, TONY award-winning actor James Monroe Iglehart surprised tourists by jumping out and touching them as they snapped their photos. Fans screamed and gasped when they saw him move.

Other visitors were able to get a standard photo before a tour guide asked them to rub the Genie's lamp, bringing him to life.

Read: Pope Francis Wax Figure Fools New Yorkers, Sets Off An NYPD Investigation

One woman was so dumbfounded, she asked: “Is this really real?”

The museum was in on the trick, even setting up a special booth for tourists to pose with the Genie.

Watch: Obama Helps 'Hamilton' Creator Freestyle