Since the release of Disney’s The Lion King in 1994 fans have been wondering who would play the adult version of Simba’s evil uncle Scar. In the 2019 live action adaptation it has finally been revealed that Chiwetel Ejiofor will be donning the mane of the villain.
Ejiofor is no stranger to playing complex characters. He received critical acclaim for his performance as Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Kinky Boots. More recently he starred in Doctor Strange as Baron Mordo.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Ejiofor spoke about what it was like to step into the iconic role:
“I just remember being really excited really nervous and just wanting to do justice to this character who is so important to so many people” he said. “I think the biggest thing for me was just making sure that I honored what had come before but also found something new to bring to it.”
Ejiofor also spoke about how he related to Scar’s story.
“There’s a lot of reasons why people end up the way they do in life and I think Scar has a really rich backstory” he said. “There’s a lot of pain there there’s a lot of anger there’s a lot of hurt and I think all of those things kind of fed into my understanding of who he is.”
The Lion King hits theaters on July 19.
Who plays Scar in the 2019 film The Lion King?
Answer: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Who directed The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Jon Favreau
Who is the cast member who voices young Simba in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: JD McCrary
Who is the cast member who voices young Nala in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Shahadi Wright Joseph
Who voices Mufasa in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: James Earl Jones
Who voices Timon in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Billy Eichner
Who voices Pumbaa in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Seth Rogen
Who plays Zazu in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: John Oliver
Who plays Sarabi in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Alfre Woodard
Who plays Rafiki in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: John Kani
Who plays Simba in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Donald Glover
Who plays Nala in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Beyoncé
Who plays Shenzi in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Florence Kasumba
Who plays Banzai in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Keegan-Michael Key
Who plays Ed in The Lion King (2019)?
Answer: Eric André
