Films - Horsing Around In LA

The Incredible Cast of The Lion King

By Ella Barone

All new, Disney’s The Lion King lives up to all of the hype around it. The film is beautifully composed with jaw-dropping performances from actors and singers like Donald Glover, Beyonce, Seth Rogan, Billy Eichner and more. Recently I had the opportunity to listen to some of these talented people at the 2019 press junket that took place in Los Angeles. The cast that was there included, Donald Glover (Simba), Seth Rogan (Pumba), Billy Eichner (Timon), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Alfre Woodard (Sarabi), Keegan-Michael Key (Kamari), Florence Kasumba (Shenzi), Eric Andre (Azizi), John Kani (Rafiki), JD McCrary (Young Simba), Shahadi Wright Joseph (Young Nala), Director Jon Favreau, Composer Hans Zimmer, and Lebo M.

We were treated to a very special performance of “The Circle of Life” before the start of the junket. Once everyone took their seats on stage, the moderator opened with a question directed at Jon Favreau. She asked him what he figured out when making the movie Jungle Book and how it helped him with this film. Favreau answered by telling her and the audience that, “these are handmade films. There is animators working on every shot, every environment that you see in the film other than actually, there’s one shot that’s a real photographic shot, but everything else is built from scratch by artists.”

Every scene you see in the masterfully created film looks as if you can reach out to the screen and be in the environment with the animals. Everything seemed incredibly real as if you were watching a film that was shot in the wild with the wild animals.

The next actor to speak was Donald Glover, and he talked about how Simba was different in this adaptation and the things he wanted to bring to the table. He told us that “I really feel that it’s good to make movies that are global and metropolitan in the sense of the citizens of the world.’

With Simba, he portrayed this philosophy. Throughout the film, there is the classic tale of The Lion King, but there are also some messages that people all over the world can take out of it.

Now to talk about the epic duo between Pumba and Timon. People wanted to know what it was like and how Rogan and Eichner accomplished the perfect chemistry for the two characters. Rogan started by telling us, “I think you can really tell that we’re playing off of each other. It’s an incredibly naturalistic feeling.’ Eichner then answered to the question by joking around and telling us, ‘Yeah. I wish I was as cute in real life as I am in the movie. The Timon they designed is so adorable.’

The two continued to joke around with each other while giving us the perfect Pumba and Timon vibe.

Next, the press conference took the direction of the authenticity of the film by asking Dr. Kani to talk about his role as Rafiki. He talked about is his relation to Rafiki, ‘We are both over 75. So we both lived. We both walked through that forest. We both created those footpaths and intertwined with the little rabbits, and the animals go through. And we’ve seen experience life.’

One of the last questions that was asked to wrap up the press conference was to the young Shahadi. She has been a part of both the Broadway performances of The Lion King and now the all-new film, so she was asked what it was like doing both. ‘It was amazing doing both. It was such an honor doing the stage play on Broadway and also doing it in the all new Lion King. And one thing that I really saw the difference was was that on Broadway, everything is a little bit more structured.’

With that closing note, the press conference ended after a few jokes made between Seth Rogan and Jon Favreau.

Be sure to check out all of the adorable merchandise for The Lion King too. You will want it all, and you can help save real lions with every special edition plush purchase!

Lots of fun and playful Lion King shirts!

Go see this incredible cast in The Lion King out in theaters July 19, 2019. This classic retold story will take your breath away and leaving you singing the traditional songs in your head for the rest of the day.

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THE LION KING arrives in theatres everywhere on July 19th!

Meet the Cast of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

By Mary Lansing

Yo ho ho, matey! While the temperatures are beginning to rise and summertime is upon us, that can only mean one thing: some of the biggest, most awaited films of the year will be making their ways into theatres. One I have been especially excited to at last see? Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Not only did I have the pleasure of seeing this fantastic and latest installment (More on that later this week) to the Disney franchise, I also got to head out to Beverly Hills this past weekend and hear from the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. While I have been extremely lucky to not only meet some of my favorite stars, but, also discover new artists that I admire immensely. The Pirates crew is a perfect example.

The Cast and Crew on Deck (or, rather, in attendance) Included:
Javier Bardem (Captain Salazar)
Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa)
Kaya Scodelario (Carina Smyth)
Brenton Thwaites (Henry Turner)
Joachim Ronning & Espen Sandberg (Directors)
Jerry Bruckheimer (Producer)
First up, was the handsome and charming Javier Bardem. Portraying one of the most terrifying villains that Captain Jack Sparrow has had to take on yet, we were anxious to know what drew him to the role of the evil Captain Salazar. Turns out, it was his wife, actress Penelope Cruz, that introduced him to this amazing Pirate world when she portrayed Anglica, an old flame of Captain Sparrow’s, in the 4th installment back in 2011.

The villainous Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) pursues Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the trident used by Poseidon ©Disney Enterprises, Inc.

“When she did it back in 2010, I was visiting the set and i was amazed,” he explained, “I have never been on a set of a movie like that before. So, it was a first time experience. I remember talking to Jerry and saying that i’d love to be apart of it. I saw the quality of the production, and what fun they looked like. He called me five years later!” When asked if he played “pirates” as a young boy in Madrid, he confessed that he loved to Star Wars and playing space ships!

Which, brought up if his children (twins with Cruz) visited their Dad, in his very dark makeup and costumes, on set?! Turns out, just on the days when he looked more “normal” for his role. When you see the film, you will understand that VERY much.

Next up were our new young loves in the movie, Kaya Scodelario and Brenton Thwaites. Much like their on-screen alter-egos, Scodelario has so much poise, and is reserved and when she speaks, it is with much sense and a very well thought out comment (Just like the films female heroine, Carina) while Thwaites brought to mind his character, Henry, with all the high school crush-like charisma and Australian meets skater boy good looks.

Offering us coffee as he took a seat (and joking he hopes it’s Irish coffee), the press was interested what it was like for these young stars to arrive on set for their first Pirates film? “For me it was really weird.” answered kaya, “I try to treat every job the same when I get on set, but, all that goes out the window for Pirates. It’s so big, and so cool. I had met Johnny (Depp) previously at a table reading but, when he came on set as jack that was it. I was a little kid again. I was more star struck seeing Jack Sparrow than Johnny Depp!”

“For me personally it was something that followed Hook”, adds Thwaites, “I still remember when I was a young boy I wanted to be Peter Pan, and Pirates was the next movie like that, with comedy, supernatural, and so I followed the franchise, saw every movie when it came out. It was such a huge part of school to mimic the actors, and do cockney accents” he chuckles.

We then got to chat with the hilarious Geoffrey Rush, who has played the beloved Barbossa for 13 years strong. Coolest tid-bit we learned about Rush? He loves fan mail,and tries to answer every piece! “I get some fan mail, and I always answer them. It may take three months. They build up and I sit down for a day and write back. Initially, it was young women in Japan, and men in Germany. I thought, what’s the attraction there? What demographic am I reaching?!” Rush could not be further from the (at once) evil Barbossa, and truly gives his all to the favorite character.

Next up, we heard from the incredible Directors of the film, Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg. Wanting to know what makes this 5th Pirates movie different than the rest, they were quick to know what makes it so unique and what they were trying to accomplish; “There’s many things. One is, we get to see how Jack Sparrow became Jack Sparrow. That was something we really wanted to explore and go back in time to see how he became the character that everyone loves. It’s a personal, strong journey and we want to have strong characters. We grew up together making films together, like 10 and 11 years old. Pirates reminds us of those kinds of films that we made.”

While Producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, shed some light on the hilarious cameo of Paul McCartney, he was quick to give the credit where it was due: “I didn’t make it happen. Johnny did. Keith wasn’t available, and Johnny has just worked with Paul and called him up, and just asked, ‘Wanna be a pirate?’ Paul said sure, they got together and worked on the scene, the costume. They had a blast shooting that together.”

The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, will set sail into theatres THIS Friday nationwide!

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Mary Lansing is the Editor of the popular LA lifestyle and travel blog, Along Comes Mary. When she is not keeping busy with her Social Media Managing business, you can find her out exploring all Southern California has to offer, or off on a trip! Visit her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.