Blue Ivy Carter, the 12-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, is taking Hollywood by storm with her starring role in the upcoming film “Lion King” prequel and she’s already drawing widespread acclaim for her acting chops.
“She did a wonderful job bringing this character ‘Kiara’ to life,” director Barry Jenkins told ET. “I’m really proud of her, really proud of the work she did.”
Her journey to this role traces back to her impressive narration of the audiobook for Matthew Cherry’s “Hair Love.”
“As we were thinking of who could play this character, I thought, ‘Oh, this is it. She’s the right age, the right vibe,'” the director shared. “Let’s test it out.’ She was just tremendous.”
Despite her youth, Blue Ivy has delivered a performance marked by unexpected depth.
Her portrayal includes several emotional scenes that highlight her potential as a young thespian.
“There are some things she does in this film that are really emotional,” Barry Jenkins added. “She’s a thespian.”
Notably, Blue Ivy wasn’t cast because of her famous lineage. The filmmakers emphasized her talent was the only criterion.
“It had nothing to do with mom and dad,” the director explained. “She was the right young woman for the job.”
While she doesn’t sing in the film, her acting talent more than compensates, as her depiction of Kiara is set to leave a lasting impact on audiences.
“I think the relationship she has with her mother is very much embedded in the film,” Jenkins added.