Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
We were joined back on the Popternative show by Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier, Waves) who voices Taka in the new Disney animated film, Mufasa: The Lion King, now playing in theaters. It is both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 adaptation of the 1994 film The Lion King.
Directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk), the film features music from award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda (Encanto, Hamilton) with additional music and performances by Lebo M (The Lion King, Tears of the Sun).
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa. Kelvin’s character, Taka, is a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother. Taka eventually becomes Scar, the villain voiced by Jeremy Irons in the 1994 film, The Lion King.
The voice cast also includes Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Brother), Tiffany Boone (The Chi, Nine Perfect Strangers), Kagiso Lediga as (The Umbrella Men), Preston Nyman (A Small Light), Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round, The Hunt), Thandiwe Newton (Westworld, The Pursuit of Happyness), Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Snatch), Anika Noni Rose (Pantheon, Maid), Keith David (The Princess and the Frog, Armageddon), John Kani (Black Panther, Murder Mystery), Seth Rogen (Platonic, Invincible), Billy Eichner (Bros, The Angry Birds Movie), Donald Glover (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Atlanta), Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and introducing Blue Ivy Carter.
Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
Watch the full conversation with Kelvin below.
Mufasa: The Lion King is playing in theaters.
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