It may be some kind of a record: Omahan Malina Faue, age 3½, has already been to 39 states.
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Mike Faue, Anna Speed and their daughter Malina pose in Washington, D.C., during a stop on “The Lion King” tour. Faue is a musician and Speed is a kid wrangler for the show. Malina, who is 3½, has already been to 39 states.
"The Lion King," a Broadway touring musical that arrives in Omaha next week, featured soaring puppet animals and breathtaking scenery. It also includes Omahans Anna Speed and Mike Faue among its cast and crew.
When Anna Speed and Mike Faue got married at Omaha's Orpheum Theater in 2017, the were featured on the marquee. They met as orchestra members at the venue in 2007 and, for most of their married life, have toured with "The Lion King."
The touring company of Broadway's "The Lion King" will have a three-week residency at the Orpheum Theater.
Then and now: The cast of 'The Lion King,' 1994 vs 2019
Mufasa (then)
James Earl Jones loaned his iconic voice to the patriarch of Pride Rock, Mufasa, in 1994.
Jones, who is also known for his voice work as Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, never fully left the “Lion King” saga. Jones voiced Mufasa in all of the “Lion King” franchise’s sequel and prequel films, including 2015’s television movie “The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar.”
Mufasa (now)
“Lion King” purists have nothing to fear, at least as far as King Mufasa is concerned. Jones reprises his role in the new film.
“I see it as carrying the legacy across. Just hearing him say the lines is really moving and surreal,” said director Jon Favreau.
Sarabi (then)
Velvet-voiced actress Madge Sinclair, known for her work in “Roots” and “Gabriel’s Fire” voiced Simba’s mother in the original film.
Fun fact, in addition to portraying Simba’s parents in “The Lion King,” Sinclair and James Earl Jones also co-starred in “Coming to America” (starring Eddie Murphy) as King Jaffe Joffer and Queen Aeoleon, Prince Akeem’s parents.
Sadly, Sinclair passed away in 1995 at the age of 57.
Simba (now)
Young singer JD McCrary voices young Simba while rapper, singer and actor Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino (pictured), takes on the role of adult Simba.
Nala (then)
Niketa Calame and Laura Williams split the duties of young Nala’s speaking and singing voice, while Moira Kelly (pictured) and singer-songwriter Sally Dworsky spoke and sang adult Nala’s parts.
Nala (now)
Shahadi Wright Joseph, who recently had a turn in Jordan Peele’s thriller “Us,” should be perfectly comfortable playing young Nala after filling the role in “The Lion King” musical on Broadway. Stepping into the role of Simba’s adult love interest is none other than the music industry’s reigning queen, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (pictured).
Scar (then)
Mufasa’s villainous younger brother Scar got his dark voice from Jeremy Irons (pictured), who also sang much of Scar’s solo song “Be Prepared.” Unfortunately, Irons damaged his voice during the recording of the song and the rest of his vocals were done by veteran voice actor Jim Cummings.
Scar (now)
Though Irons is still alive and kicking and seemed slightly disappointed not to reprise his role as Scar, Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (pictured, far right) was tapped to give new life to the part.
Zazu (then)
Rowan Atkinson voiced Mufasa’s pompous, horn-billed adviser in the 1994 animated film. Atkinson actually had to be sweet-talked into taking the role of Zazu because he previously wasn’t a fan of voice work.
“I didn’t realize it would turn into a really, very special film, which it did,” Atkinson said.
Zazu (now)
Political commentator and comedian John Oliver is Mufasa’s right hand in the updated remake.
Timon & Pumbaa (then)
The duo of the wise-cracking meerkat and flatulent warthog got their voices from Nathan Lane (pictured) and Ernie Sabella, respectively. Lane and Sabella previously shared the stage in the 1992 Broadway revival of “Guys and Dolls.”
The Hyenas (then)
Scar’s trio of hyena henchmen got their pipes (and their trademark cackles) from Whoopi Goldberg (pictured), (who was Shenzi), Cheech Marin, (Banzai) and Jim Cummings (Ed).
The Hyenas (now)
In the 2019 update, the hyenas are getting new voices, new names and new personalities. Keegan-Michael Key voices Kamari, Florence Kasumba voices Shenzi (the only hyena to keep the name from the original movie) and Eric André is Azizi.
Rather than being Scar’s bumbling flunkies, these hyenas are a more sinister group. “Those hyenas were funny. These hyenas are dangerous,” Kasumba said according to the movie’s
Rafiki (then)
Previously known for his role as the original snarky butler, Benson (sorry, Geoffrey and Niles), Robert Guillaume voiced Rafiki, the sage, fruit-wielding baboon who steers Simba toward his rightful destiny as king.
Guillaume enjoyed a lengthy career as an actor and voice actor before his death in 2017.
Rafiki (now)
South african filmmaker and actor John Kani is filling the late Guillaume’s shoes as Rafiki in the new film.
