Yes, We’ve Seen ‘The Lion King’ Before But This Movie Is Next Level

From the moment the light rose on screen, and the animals begin singing “The Circle Of Life,” I knew this film would be something special. Disney’s The Lion King 2019 movie will be adored by generations of people– those who have been enamored with the 1994 animated film since it debuted, and a slew of others who are newcomers to the tale.

No matter when you first discovered Simba’s story, the live-action Lion King will leave you speechless. There has been a ton of anticipation surrounding the return to Pride Rock. The Lion King is one of the most-beloved from Disney’s vault. Therefore, there was a great deal of pressure on director Jon Favreau to make sure that the film looked terrific visually–while maintaining the integrity of the story.

The craftsmanship in 2019’s The Lion King is breathtaking. The CGI looks so hyperrealistic that the audience will feel like they’re in Subsaharan Africa right along with the animals. Though there is some sameness when it comes to the lions’ coloring –the distinctive voices of James Earl Jones’ Mufasa, Donald Glover’s adult Simba, and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s sinister Scar are enough to distinguish them easily. Also, the majority of the audience will know the story well–so there should be little cause for confusion.

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The Cast Of 'The Lion King' On Broadway Unpack The Show's Majestic Blackness And Its Incredible 20-Year Legacy

For twenty years, Simba’s coming of age story has reigned on the Broadway stage. I saw it once as a child in the mid-'90s and again a few weeks ago to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary. The experience was even more magnetic than I'd remembered. As the sun rises (literally) over the darkened theater, actress Tshidi Manye’s voice reigns out loud and clear as she belts, "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba" opening the show with the iconic song "The Circle of Life." And with that, the audience is transported to Africa's Sahara. Giraffes move nimbly across the stage, and birds and elephants come swooping up through the aisles. It's enchanting to watch the majority black cast electrify the audience. It’s an experience that has become ingrained in actors Lindiwe Dlamini, James Brown-Orleans and Bonita Hamilton -- veterans of the show. Dlamini has been with the show since it opened in 1997. A lioness and shadow puppets operator, the South African native also acts as a den mother helping to integrate newer cast members into the show. Brown-Orleans and Hamilton aren’t novices either. Brown-Orleans has been with the production for sixteen years handling the puppets and portraying the hyena Banzai, while Hamilton has been with The Lion King for fourteen years as the hyena Shenzi. All three of the actors sat down to chat with Shadow and Act about The Lion King’s legacy and what the show has meant to them.

For Hamilton, The Lion King was an awakening. "It's one of the first shows that I'd ever seen," she said. "I saw it when it was in LA like in 1998 when I was in graduate school. I was sitting there, and I was watching it and it was the most amazing thing that I had ever seen in my life. The whole show I was like, ‘I don't know who I would play or what I would do in this show, but somehow I have to be a part of it.’ I'm from Montgomery, Alabama, and I had never seen such African influences on stage and African American excellence on stage. I'd never witnessed anything like that. It was a coming of age thing for me. I also think that it resonates with audiences throughout the world because it transcends. It transcends cultural barriers, race barriers and age barriers."

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