In this Disney classic - 'Mufasa' takes center stage. The film follows the origin story of the future king of the Pride Lands and his early relationship with Scar. The Hollywood Reporter sat down with Director Barry Jenkins alongside songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda and stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Tiffany Boone. The cast and crew talk all about their memories of the original 'Lion King,' working with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter and the film's tribute to the legendary James Earl Jones.
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00:00I'm grateful to have had that access to the original to utilize his performance as a guiding
00:05light and discover the adolescent version of this line.
00:08It's time I tell you a story.
00:12In this Disney classic, Mufasa takes center stage.
00:15The film follows the origin story of the future king of the Pride Lands and his early relationship
00:20with Scar.
00:20The Hollywood Reporter sat down with director Barry Jenkins alongside songwriter Lin-Manuel
00:25Miranda and stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Tiffany Boone.
00:30The cast and crew talk all about their memories of the original Lion King, working with Beyoncé
00:35and Blue Ivy Carter, and the film's tribute to the legendary James Earl Jones.
00:39There will be one Lion King.
00:43Mufasa, run!
00:45While chatting with the cast of Mufasa the Lion King, Pierre reflected on constantly
00:49watching the 1994 classic.
00:51Oh my goodness, I wore that VHS out.
00:54Anytime I wanted to rewind it, I had to run up to the box and press it and it's
00:58And that happened about every 20 minutes or so.
01:02The cast also looked back on their experience watching the 2019 live-action remake.
01:07I remember I was like in a theater.
01:08I went to see it like weeks after it had been out and I was in the theater in the middle
01:12of the day by myself.
01:13I had like a cocktail and I was laid out.
01:15I was like, Beyoncé!
01:18It was just so fun, the whole experience.
01:20So that's why it's wild to be a part of it now, a few years later.
01:23So it was really cool to know that Beyoncé was doing the actual acting and the kids were
01:27doing the actual acting.
01:28If I ever get to do something like that, I want to do the same.
01:31Mufasa also features voice work from Beyoncé's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.
01:35When asked what it was like to work with the mother-daughter duo on set, this is what Jenkins
01:39had to say.
01:40Beyoncé was very open about me and Blue Ivy having our process.
01:44I will say, like a mother, she would stay behind and watch as Blue performed her scenes.
01:52It was really wonderful to see the pride that she took.
01:54And also, too, I have to say, when your mom is the sun, the moon, and the stars, it can
01:58be quite intimidating.
01:59And I give Beyoncé, Miss Beyoncé, so much credit because she did everything in her power
02:04to make that not the case on the days where they were working together.
02:07It was really lovely to see.
02:09When it comes to the Mufasa soundtrack, songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda breaks down the process
02:13of writing I Always Wanted a Brother and tells THR that he didn't really have to look far
02:18when it came to inspiration.
02:19You know, I have two little boys.
02:21They're six and ten.
02:22So the notion of two brothers who drive each other crazy and would do anything to protect
02:27each other is, I don't have to look any farther than my own apartment.
02:31The film also features a tribute to James Earl Jones, who was the original voice of
02:35Mufasa in the 1994 animation and 2019 remake.
02:39The cast and crew look back on their earliest memories of Jones and his impact on the Lion
02:43King franchise.
02:44I've met him in the past.
02:45Just being someone Black in Hollywood, there's people who just, you have these mentors, these
02:50people you look up to.
02:51So I met him very briefly in the past, but not with regards to this particular project.
02:55But when he did pass, you know, it was very clear, you know, I grew up without a father
03:00figure.
03:01You know, this character in some ways, you know, became a father figure.
03:04So it felt very appropriate to find a way to honor him.
03:07His portrayal was my guiding light.
03:10And I really am grateful to have had that access to the original, to utilize his performance
03:17as a guiding light and then discover the adolescent version of this lion.
03:20Mufasa the Lion King hits theaters on December 20th.
03:23This is The Hollywood Reporter News.