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As far as iconic animated feature films are concerned, 1994’sThe Lion Kingcan arguably be considered one of the best of all time. Over the decades, the heartwarming narrative of a father-son legacy has continued to stay relevant for various generations of audiences.
While the remake by Jon Favreau in 2019 also received high praise, the allure of the original is still considered unmatched thanks to memorable voice performances by veteran stars including Rowan Atkinson, whose distinctive voice gave life to the famous Zazu. But fans will be shocked to know that Atkinson initially refused to take on this project.
Rowan Atkinson Wasn’t Interested in Playing This Cult Character InThe Lion King
Almost 30 years after is release,The Lion Kingcontinues to provide some wonderfully nostalgic moments for fans of different generations. The emotional story of Simba’s destiny as the king of the jungle after his father Mufasa’s death, will remain a lifelong favorite with audiences. The film saw memorable voice performances by Matthew Broderick as Simba, with the deep baritone of Jeremy Irons as the chilling Scar, andRowan Atkinson’sexpert rendition of the hornbill Zazu.
While it is difficult to imagine anyone other than theMr. Beanstar doing justice to Mufasa’s trusted advisor who becomes a mentor to Simba, fans will be shocked to know that the actor initially dismissed this opportunity. In an interview with People TV’sCouch Surfing(viaEW),Atkinson, who is known for his unique body language as an artist, revealed his honest opinions about what he felt about doing voice roles.
I didn’t want to do it, really, because voiceovers, voice work is something I generally had never done and never. I’m a visual artist, if I’m anything, and it seemed to be a pointless thing to do.
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Interestingly, it wasMr. Beanco-writer and actor Robin Driscoll who convinced the veteran to delve into voice acting, which proved to be the golden words that he needed to take the plunge. Atkinson revealed that he was extremely happy to have been proved wrong.
I didn’t realize it would turn into a really, very special film, which it did.
While actor John Oliver did a fantastic job as Zazu in the 2019 remake, Atkinson’s style of delivery is still a version that fans, especially those who grew up in the 80s, will continue to relish and look back on fondly.
Jon Favreau On Why He Went Back To This Actor’s Iconic Voice ForThe Lion KingRemake
Remakes are tricky business. But rebooting an evergreen classic is an even bigger risk whichJon Favreautook when he decided to revisitThe Lion Kingthrough a new lens. The 1994 animated feature, which is still considered one of the best-ever films to come out of the Disney camp, saw Favreau casting a whole new team of actors to voice these memorable roles.
While he had seasoned stars like Donald Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the roles of Simba and Scar respectively and Beyonce portraying Nala, the Marvel star could not look past the deep vocal chords of James Earl Jones who epitomized Mufasa in the original. Speaking toCinema Blend, Favreau revealed that his reasons for bringing back Jones for the part had a lot to do with the ethos of the film and what he represented through this character.
I see it as carrying the legacy across. Just hearing him say the lines is really moving and surreal.
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The director also believed that the veteran’s voice which would have undergone changes with age, added even more nuance and depth to the character. Looking back, this was probably the best decision he could have made, as fans across the world got goosebumps listening to the evergreen voice of Jones all over again.
The Lion King(1994) is streaming on Disney+
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
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