Beyonce is set to star in the new live action The Lion King film. The news comes only a few short weeks after it was reported that the multi-talented star turned down a role in Disney’s live action film, Beauty and the Beast.
New reports say that Bey will be playing the part of Nala in the remake. Actor Donald Glover will voice Simba while James Earl Jones will reprise his 1994 role as Mufasa. The casting news is rather surprising, considering how Beyonce rejected the feather duster role in Beauty and the Beast.
Back in October, reports said that Beyonce lost her chance to join the cast of the mega hit Disney movie. The film turned out to be one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Apparently, director Bill Condon was desperate to add Beyonce to his cast. He tried but failed several times. That’s because Beyonce didn’t want to audition. She was hoping for just an offer instead.
Yet, other stars like Tyra Banks, Jennifer Hudson and even Alicia Keys auditioned several times. The role ended up going to actress Anika Noni Rose instead. Some reports hinted that Beyonce acted too much like a diva and couldn’t be bothered to put in the work that it takes to win a movie role.
Then again, this isn’t Beyonce’s first big screen musical. She starred as Deena Jones in the 2006 highly acclaimed film, Dreamgirls. And while Bey did get positive reviews for her performance, it was her co-star Jennifer Hudson who went on to win an Oscar for her role in the film.
At this point, Beyonce has made it pretty clear that she doesn’t need to beg for big budget movie roles. After all, she’s one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. And she’s certainly not going to take on roles that will reduce her to a feather duster, either. Queen Bey doesn’t have to take on supporting roles for a Hollywood paycheck, either.
Instead, a lot of her fans know that Beyonce wants success and recognition. She wants an Oscar, and nothing less. In fact, she once said that she wants to win an Emmy, an Oscar, a Grammy and a Tony. It’s safe to say that Beyonce won’t stop until that happens.
So far Beyonce hasn’t made any comments about her new role. In the meantime, don’t forget to check back with CDL for all the latest news and updates on Beyonce and The Lion King along with all of your favorite celebrities right here.
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
