She just can’t wait to be king! North West has been making a name for herself in the music industry since 2020, and the rising star just took a big step in her career by taking on the role as Young Simba for the 30th anniversary of The Lion King
However, her performance was left with some mixed reviews … Keep reading to find out why some viewers weren’t happy about it.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West‘s daughter has officially entered the world of theatre! On May 24-25, 2024, the 10-year-old took center stage in a live-to-film concert to honor The Lion King‘s anniversary at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
North was brought onstage by Jason Weaver, who was the original singing voice of Young Simba. There, the voice actor introduced the singer for her “Hollywood debut.”
While on stage, North performed alongside a live orchestra and dancers for a rendition of the song “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” Videos from the event quickly surfaced online, which had some viewers feeling like the cast choice was a case of nepotism.
One user on X wrote, “I’m sorry, but casting North West as Simba when there are hundreds of properly trained theatre kids with voice coaches, dance skills, and experience was a HORRIBLE choice. It definitely makes you question the credibility of the casting director.”
It seems some of the comments were criticizing North for her performance skills. Viewers claimed that the up-and-coming star may not have had the proper training before taking on such a big role.
Another viewer of the clip added, “Now I love me some North West, but there must have been a handful of truly talented 10-11 year olds [that] would have been a better Simba because they spent [years] working on their craft.”
That wasn’t the only criticism that was directed towards the performance. Other viewers pointed out that the costume choice wasn’t up to par.
One social media user noted, “I won’t comment on the performance of North West at the Lion King live show because she’s 10. But what the h-ll is she wearing? Who thought, ‘Hey, she needs to look like Simba, pull out the yellow barrister wig? I’ve seen Walmart onesies that look better.'”
Many were surprised to see North up on stage, however, the news of her role has been out since earlier this month. Deadline reported that she was the “latest daughter of a major music artist to join a Lion King cast.”
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