The original 1994 “The Lion King” isn’t just considered one of the greatest animated films of all time, it’s one of the best movies of the last 30 years. As spectacular as it is, it features a mostly white voice cast for the animals in the Pride Lands. Jeremy Irons, Matthew Broderick, Ernie Sabella and Nathan Lane are all unforgettable as Scar, Simba, Pumbaa and Timon respectively, but we can’ deny that we felt a different connection to the 2019 live-action/CGI remake’s Black cast. James Earl Jones’ iconic performance as Mufasa is so incomparable no one else has portrayed the character, until now.
The upcoming prequel, “Mufasa: The Lion King,” tells the story of the future king, voiced by Aaron Pierre, and his best friend Taka, a young prince we know as Scar, portrayed by Kelvin Harrison Jr. They are joined in the highly-anticipated film by a stellar cast of Black actors, some of whom are returning from the 2019 movie. Before you once again immerse yourself in “The Lion King” universe, check out our preview of what to expect form the film and it’s star-studded cast. Here’s everything you need to know about “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
Aaron Pierre
Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
This isn’t the towering figure we’ve known for 30 years, this is Mufasa when he’s still figuring out who he is. Though, we still see glimpses of his future greatness.
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka
Jeremy Irons and Chiwetel Ejiofor left some very big shoes to fill, but Kelvin Harrison Jr. isn’t playing Scar, he’s Taka. This is the young lion before he becomes engulfed by bitterness and hate. It will be interesting to see the beginnings of that transition.
John Kani
John Kani as Rafiki
John Kani’s Rafiki is the foundation of the prequel, as he’s the one who tells the flashback story to Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara. Rafiki always provides fascinating insight into the proceedings.
Donald Glover as Simba
The Emmy nominee returns as Mufasa’s son Simba, though it’s unclear how much time we’ll actually spend with him this time around.
Donald Glover and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Simba and Nala
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
Simba’s mate Nala also returns, and this time around we get to see her as a mother nurturing her family.
Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara
If you need someone to voice Nala’s daughter, who better than Beyoncé’s actual daughter? Blue Ivy Carter couldn’t ask for a bigger project to make her feature film debut in.
Lennie James as Obasi
The British actor portrays Taka’s father, who seems extremely critical and strict in the clips we’ve seen. Daddy issues would certainly explain a lot about Taka’s transition into Scar and his resentment of Mufasa.
Thandiwe Newton as Eshe
Early clips portray Eshe as a much more caring parent than Obasi. We wonder what she thinks of her son becoming the evil Scar?
Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose and Keith David as Afia and Masego
All the marketing for the film has told us that Mufasa is an orphan, so we don’t know much about his parents. However, we do know we get to hear her spectacular singing voice.
Keith David as Masego
Keith David is such a fascinating choice for Mufasa’s father. We’re interested to see if there are glimpses of the Mufasa we know in his father.
Tiffany Boone
Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
Tiffany Boone voices Sarabi. As she joins Mufasa and Taka on their journey, we finally get to know her as more than just Simba’s mother and Mufasa’s mate.
Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa
Obviously, they’re not Black, but we can’t talk about “The Lion King” without mentioning Timon and Pumbaa. They help Rafiki tell the story, putting their own unique spin on certain moments.
Mads Mikkelsen
Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros
No matter what the story is, or where it takes place, if you need an unforgettable bad guy for your movie Mads Mikkelsen should always be the first choice.
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