Blue Ivy Joins Cast For ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’, Director Calls it “Impactful”

Director Barry Jenkins has likened the forthcoming film ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ to a “time capsule”, highlighting the inclusion of two significant stars of our time. Beyonce takes on the role of Queen Nala, while Blue Ivy Carter, who has garnered attention through her appearances on tour, portrays her daughter Kiara.

Jenkins intentionally cast this duo, expressing his belief that they fit their respective roles perfectly. “I thought there was something really lovely about having this mother and daughter get to play together, to work together,” he remarked, emphasising the familial connection.

“I think it’s going to be really impactful for the two of them,” he added, hinting at the depth of their performances. Jenkins also shared insights into the film’s lengthy creation process, noting that it began before Beyonce’s Renaissance album and continued through her subsequent tour, with finishing touches still in progress.

Reflecting on Blue Ivy’s growth during the tour, Jenkins remarked, “I feel like Blue grew quite a bit throughout that tour.” For both Beyonce and her daughter, the film serves as a moment to contemplate their collaboration.

Joining Beyonce in the cast are Aaron Pierre as the lead and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, also known as Scar. The previous Lion King film drew inspiration from Beyonce’s visual album ‘Black Is King.’ Jenkins highlighted Beyonce’s deep ties to Africa as a factor in her perfect portrayal of Nala. “This mythic thing, this fictional thing that in some way does reflect something of culture on the continent [of Africa],” he commented.

‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is scheduled for release in theatres on 20th December.