Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose has joined a beloved franchise with Mufasa: The Lion King. In Disney’s new prequel/sequel, Rose plays Afia, the mother of Mufasa, and sings a song called “Milele”, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“[Milele] means ‘forever,’ Rose explained on a recent visit to Live with Kelly and Mark. “And I, Afia, am explaining to Mufasa about the homeland, where we come from, and about holding dreams and love within your heart. Even when you can’t see it, you hold it and you nurture it because that’s how you keep something alive and…how we keep ourselves moving forward with faith and positivity,” she added.
She went on to praise the visuals during her song, both the landscape and the technology which makes the lions and animals appear incredibly realistic. Watch the interview now.
Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, 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 Pumba 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.
Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, the all-new feature film is directed by Barry Jenkins. Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters tomorrow, December 20.
