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'Mufasa: The Lion King's Aaron Pierre on following the legacy to original actor James Earl Jones
18 December 2024, 08:15
Aaron Pierre, AKA the voice of Mufasa from Mufasa: The Lion King, joined Capital XTRA breakfast to chat about his lead role in the new Disney film.
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Mufasa: The Lion King's eponymous voice actor Aaron Pierre has revealed his nerves on following the legacy of original actor James Earl Jones.
The new Disney film, which is now out in cinemas, is a prequel to the hit 1994 film The Lion King, and this live-action piece follows Mufasa as an orphaned cub taken in by a new family.
Aaron Pierre joined Capital XTRA Breakfast hosts Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie to speak about his lead role, and even divulged into the process behind recording.
On embarking on the journey of portraying Mufasa, Pierre said it was "nerve-racking" to portray a character "So beloved, so cherished and loved by everyone."
When asked how he dealt with the pressure of stepping into such an iconic character, Pierre said he took his nerves and dealt with them head-on.
"Any nerves that I have, any reservations, I try and channel those into something that propels me forwards so I tried my best to do that," he told Capital XTRA.
"Nerves served me well," Pierre continued, and revealed he did feel some pressure following the legacy of the original voice of Mufasa, James Earl Jones, who died earlier this year aged 93.
Aaron Pierre says he actively celebrates his legacy in his work, especially Mufasa: The Lion King.
"He has been my greatest inspiration in regards to his artistry, he's the top of the mountain, it doesn’t get any greater." He continued: "I’ve always tried to learn from him. If I can even be a fraction of him in regards to his artistry, I think I’m going to be alright."
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