Beyonce will voice Nala in the live-action remake of Disney’s The Lion King, according to Pitchfork. It’s only right that one of the most beloved voices in the world will give life to a fan-favorite lead character in the remake of one of the most beloved films of all time. It was previously rumored that Queen Bey was director John Favreau’s first choice for the role, but now it’s official.
Mrs. Carter joins an all-star cast that includes Keegan Michael Key, John Oliver, Seth Rogen, Eric André, Billy Eichner, and Donald Glover. The only original cast member returning to this new production is James Earl Jones, who reprises his iconic role as Mufasa, the lead character’s father and monarch of “everything the light touches.” Disney announced the complete cast list with a tweet that featured their photos and roles, generating 24,000 retweets in just over a half hour.
#TheLionKing. 2019. 🦁👑 pic.twitter.com/UMJo18FwDt
— Disney (@Disney) November 1, 2017
The role will just be Beyonce’s latest foray into the world of acting. Prior roles have included ’70s blaxploitation pastiche Foxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers: Goldmember, Diana Ross stand-in Deena in the Hollywood film adaptation of Dreamgirls, and distraught stalking victim Sharon in Obsessed. She also played Etta James in Cadillac Records. As the remake of The Lion King is planned to be a musical as the original animated film was, I don’t think we’ll need to speculate much on who’s going to sing “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.” The film is currently slated for a 2019 release.
