by Viki
Yesterday, the rumor of Beyoncé being director Jon Favreau’s first choice to portray Nala in the upcoming live action remake of the classic The Lion King had legions of musical lovers excited. The casting is not yet official but dear Mufasa! She is the perfect choice.
Beyoncé is one of the best singers in the world with success in the business only a few have experienced. Imagining hearing her sing Can you feel the love tonight or even Shadowland already makes me look like a goose. When she’s not singing, her speaking voice is equally soothing and fierce. Plus, it wouldn’t be her first rodeo: In the 2013 movie Epic, she voiced Queen Tara and therefore knows how to handle voice recording booths.
For the drama lovers out there: The Lion King is basically a remake of Hamlet so Beyoncé has to know-how to pull our heartstrings hard. As a performer on stage, she is more than capable of doing just that. And as an actress in front of the camera? Well, you guessed it. She knows how to do that too. In the 2006 movie Dreamgirls, for example, she made me cry several times both through song and her acting performance.
On the other side of the coin, The Lion King has many comical elements to counterbalance the trauma Simba and the audience are put through in the beginning of the movie. Comedy chops? No problem! Beyoncé proved that she can pull off humor in the 2002 cult classic Austin Powers in Goldmember (as well as having some herself for being part of that). Groovy, baby!
So, we covered the drama and the humor – what about fierceness and intelligence? Nala is smart, badass and takes no crap from no man (or anyone). She knows how to handle Simba, just like Beyoncé knows how to handle Jay-Z: by producing an album out of nowhere, talking about his faults and making millions of dollars with it!
All in all, it is a good move from Disney to continue their route of diversity (The Princess and the Frog, Moana) and actively fighting gender roles (Brave) with their newer productions. The entertainment industry needs more color and more estrogen. Supporting the positive representation of black individuals is what we wish for from such a huge company like Disney who’s famous for its heartfelt moments and inspiring messages.
If the rumors are true, the world is backing it and Beyoncé just has to say yes. And to be fair, she is expecting twins at the moment which is no easy task so it is only reasonable for her to think it through (if the offer has already been extended *fingers crossed*) It is a big commitment, but not a risky one. Success and admiration are basically guaranteed with a franchise like The Lion King. Also, we know from the Jungle Book (2016) that Disney has the technology to make the animals look realistic and beautiful. This all seems too good to be true!
We just can`t wait to see the Queen
Scapegrace Heroine 