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.
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