Why Beyoncé has made 'The Lion King' a large part of her legacy — and her family's

Beyoncé Knowles Carter and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter both voice characters in Disney's new movie "Mufasa: The Lion King," out Friday. It's the latest way Beyoncé has interwoven her legacy — and her family's — with the film franchise.

In "Mufasa," Beyoncé reprises her role as Queen Nala from the 2019 movie "The Lion King." Her oldest daughter, Blue Ivy, plays the role of Princess Kiara, the eldest daughter of Nala and Simba, voiced again by actor and singer Donald Glover.

Directed by Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and scripted by writer Jeff Nathanson, "Mufasa" is a prequel to the "The Lion King." It takes viewers back to the origin story of the king of lions, who is voiced by Aaron Pierre, with Kelvin Harrison voicing the role of Scar.

Many fans are excited to see Blue Ivy make her feature film debut. But this isn't even the first time the young star has been associated with the franchise. She attended "The Lion King" premiere with her mom in 2019, and appeared on her mom's album inspired by the film.

Blue Ivy Carter and Beyoncé attend the premiere of Disney's "The Lion King" at the Dolby Theatre on July 9, 2019, in Hollywood, California.
Blue Ivy Carter and Beyoncé attend the premiere of Disney's "The Lion King" at the Dolby Theatre on July 9, 2019, in Hollywood, California.

Beyoncé releases 'The Lion King: The Gift'

Beyoncé was cast as the voice of Nala in the 2019 remake of the animated classic and spoke about the significance of the film to her.

ADVERTISEMENT

"'The Lion King' (is) something I grew up watching, and I’m so excited for my kids to see it. But it means even more to share this experience and this culture of 'The Lion King' with my mother and my family,” she said in an interview at the Wearable Art Gala the year the film was released.

"My mother just praised being Black and made sure we were proud, and we were very aware of our roots. We saw how beautiful and profound Black women were, and how different we were and how you couldn’t put us in one box, and how it was all Black and beautiful," she continued.

She released her album "The Lion King: The Gift" on July 19, 2019. It was a companion project that put Beyoncé's musical touches on the film's soundtrack. She called the album a "love letter to Africa," and it featured a multitude of artists such as Mr Eazi, Yemi Alade, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Kendrick Lamar.

"I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa and not just use some of the sounds and do my interpretation of it. I wanted it to be authentic to what is beautiful about the music in Africa,” she said in a 2019 interview on "Good Morning America." "The soundtrack becomes visual in your mind. It’s a soundscape. It’s more than just the music, because each song tells the story of the film.”

The same year, Beyoncé also released the TV special "Beyoncé Presents: Making the Gift," which took fans behind the scenes of Beyoncé's journey through Africa and the album's creation. The project was shot in parts of Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and the U.S.

Beyoncé's new visual album, "Black Is King," is inspired by "The Lion King."
Beyoncé's new visual album, "Black Is King," is inspired by "The Lion King."

Beyoncé releases 'Black is King'

In 2020, Beyoncé released a visual companion for the album "The Gift," titled "Black is King." The musical film was directed, produced and co-written by the megastar.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Black is King" follows a young African prince who is exiled from his kingdom after his father’s death. As he matures, the prince embarks on a journey of self-discovery, guided by his ancestors, before he attempts to reclaim his throne. The story acts as a metaphor for the African diaspora's journey of discovery and reclaiming their heritage and culture.

Beyoncé used the film to highlight the beauty and diversity of African culture and the diaspora through music, dance, costumes, hair, sets and other designs.

"It’s been a year in the making. I worked with a diverse group of very gifted directors and actors and creatives from all over the world to re-imagine the story of 'The Lion King.' The narrative unfolds through music videos, fashion, dance, beautiful natural settings and raw, new talent," she said in another GMA interview.

"But it all started in my backyard. So from my house, to Johannesburg to Ghana to London to Belgium to the Grand Canyon, it was truly a journey to bring this film to life. And my hope for this film is that it shifts the global perception of the word ‘Black,’ which has always meant inspiration and love and strength and beauty to me. ‘Black is King‘ means Black is regal and rich in history, in purpose and in lineage."

"Black is King" received much praise on both cultural and artistic levels. It scored six Grammy nominations, including for best music film. "Brown Skin Girl" featuring Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn and Wizkid won for best music video, and "Black Parade" won for best R&B performance award. The film also earned an Emmy for outstanding costumes for a variety, nonfiction or reality program.

Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on InstagramTikTok and X as @cachemcclay.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Beyonce made 'The Lion King' part of her legacy — and her family's