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WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
In preparing for his role as Taka, who later becomes Scar in Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Kelvin Harrison Jr. drew inspiration from the original Scar, voiced by Jeremy Irons. However, he also looked to a broader range of cultural characters to inform his performance.
“I was fortunate to have a fantastic dialect coach who provided samples from Jeremy Irons’ performance, but I also found myself looking to characters like Ron Weasley from ‘Harry Potter’ and Joffrey from ‘Game of Thrones’,” Harrison shared with TheWrap. “I enjoyed that ‘nasty’ tone, and I thought, ‘Let’s incorporate some of that sense of privilege into my portrayal,’ ultimately shaping Taka into Scar.”
The film “Mufasa” serves as an origin story, detailing the rise of Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) as the first ruler of Pride Lands in the African savanna. However, it equally delves into the backstory of Scar, originally known as Taka. Presented as a cub from royal lineage, Taka’s journey unfolds after he is separated from his family and finds friendship with Mufasa. As they grow up side by side, a developing rivalry ignites jealousy in Taka, driving him towards his darker future.
In a pivotal moment of the narrative, Taka makes a fateful decision aimed at undermining Mufasa, marking a significant transformation into Scar. This shift is visually and audibly pronounced, allowing the audience to witness the evolution of Taka into the character they are familiar with.
“We focused on capturing that pre-Scar essence, which involved adopting a lighter, higher-pitched register. It required a certain loftiness and an air of regality, which turned out to be a thrilling process,” he explained.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” is currently showing in theaters.
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www.thewrap.com