The Disney film “Mufasa: The Lion King” is currently in theaters and it is Tahar Rahim who lends his voice to Simba's future father in the French version of the film. Does the actor also perform the songs from the film? We answer you!
In Mufasa: The Lion King, Rafiki tells the young lioness Kiara – the daughter of Simba and Nala – the legend of Mufasa. Told in the form of flashbacks, Mufasa's story is that of an orphaned lion cub, alone and distraught who, one day, meets the friendly Taka, heir to a royal lineage. This chance encounter marks the starting point of a journey rich in adventures.
If in the 1994 animated film, The Lion King, and its photorealistic remake of 2019, it was Jean Reno who lent his voice to Mufasa, in the French version of the prequel directed by Barry Jenkins, it is Tahar Rahim who double the young lion.
Jean Reno's deep voice did not fit for this film which traces the life of Simba's father from his childhood to his arrival in the Lands of Milele. It is therefore the young Timéo Beasse who lends his voice to the lion cub Mufasa in French and Tahar Rahim who dubs the older hero. And the actor also performs songs from the film written and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Dave Metzger.
Tahar Rahim sings in Mufasa thanks to Mr. Aznavour
To promote the feature film, we spoke with the feature film's dubbing actors and Tahar Rahim told us that he had to take tests: “II would have liked it to be a firm proposal. I had to pass musical tests because I had already passed tests for a Disney film a few years ago, it didn't work because of the songs. But this time it worked. So you never have to worry.”
And it is largely thanks to the work done for the film by Grand Corps Malade and Mehdi Idir, Monsieur Aznavour that Tahar Rahim landed the role of Mufasa.
AlloCiné Gwendal Marimoutou and Tahar Rahim
“I learned to sing for Mr. Aznavour and that’s what made the difference between the attempt three years ago and this time.” the actor tells us before adding: “ For the record, I trained with Mufasa's musical director, we sang, we prepared the songs with my voice. And then, at one point as a joke I sing with Aznavour's voice. And there, I feel that it has a little effect on him.
As a joke I sing with Aznavour's voice. And there, I feel that it has a little effect on him…
So he asked me to dig into the bass to establish the character and bring this kind of royalty and savagery in the noble sense of the term. And that's how we created this singing voice which is ultimately not my natural voice, then that led us to find the identity of the speaking voice.”
Weight support
If each performer recorded their titles separately, Tahar Rahim had the voice of Gwendal Marimoutou – who doubles Taka – as support. He explains to us: “I was lucky enough to have Gwendal's recordings during my recordings. And that put wind in the sails, we had to be up to the task. Besides, it's an interesting experience to have a partner vocal, which is not by our side. We still find a lot of support there.“
Disney
Gwendal Marimoutou, candidate for the third season of The Voicelends his voice to the “brother” of adult Mufasa. A change for the actor and singer who lent his voice to Simba in the musical The Lion King.
The latter also admits to us: “It's incredible that Disney would consider me in a role other than the one I had been doing in the theater for two years. That they can project themselves like that and that they agree to go with me in this vocal challenge all the same, to embody Taka.” Note that the young Sacha Tomassian lends his voice to Taka Lionceau.
Who are the other French voices?
Like Jon Favreau's film released in 2019, Rayane Bensetti still lends her voice to adult Simba while singer Anne Sila still dubs Nala. The young Loïse Charpentier lends her voice to Kiara, the daughter of the heroes of the previous part.
Coadic Guirec/Bestimage Rayane Bensetti, Jamel Debbouze, Gwendal Marimoutou, Tahar Rahim, Anne Sila and Mory Sako
The singer and actress Aurélie Konaté – revealed thanks to the Star Academy in 2002 – lends her voice to Sarabi, Mufasa's companion and mother of Simba.
Daniel Kamwa once again dubs the wise adult Rafiki while Jean-Michel Vaubien – who already dubs the crab Sébastien in the live version of The Little Mermaid – lends his voice to Mufasa's future royal advisor when he is younger. Alexis Tomassin is the voice of the talkative red-billed hornbill Zazou. And as you don't change a winning team, Jamel Debbouze & Alban Ivanov overtake Timon and Pumbaa again.
Finally, Kiros, the big bad guy of this feature film, is voiced by dubbing specialist Daniel Lobé in French. Kiros is the leader of a pack of wandering white lions who leave nothing but sorrow and pain in his wake.
Among the other actresses who lend their voices to Mufasa's characters are: Jean-Paul Pitolin, Annie Million, Léovannie Raud, Gregory Leribag and chef Mory Sacko, a big fan of The Lion King, who voices a living buffalo in Milele.
Mufasa : The lion king is currently in cinemas.
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