Aaron Pierre’s lion heart

HUNGER sits down with the British actor ahead of the hotly-anticipated Mufasa: The Lion King.

Art + CultureCover starsFeaturesFilmIssue 33

December 7, 2024

Aaron Pierre joins our call and immediately enquires about the clocks going back. He’s currently shooting the new season of the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show in sunny Los Angeles, but he’s quick to assure me that his “home is London”. The South London-born actor is proud of his roots, that’s for sure. When I read other interviews with Pierre while preparing for this interview, I note his passion for London’s sense of community is something of a fixture — it radiates through the screen when I talk to him too. His warmth is almost enough to bring the sun back up and reverse the UK’s newfound afternoon darkness. It could even be said that the actor has a certain nobility about him. And in his latest role, as the titular character in Barry Jenkins’s hotly anticipated Mufasa: The Lion King, he certainly embodies this. Pierre is, of course, following in the footsteps of the late James Earl Jones. It’s enough pressure to scare actors of a lesser calibre off — but not Pierre. “I give everything 100 per cent,” he tells me.

Though Pierre is willing to pour everything into his roles, he never loses sight of himself. Ahead of the release of Mufasa, the actor sits down with HUNGER to discuss honouring audiences, doubling down on values and embracing what scares him.

Aaron wears jumper, trousers, socks and shoes by FENDI.

Aaron wears shirt by CNG and trousers by AMIRI.

James Punshon: You’ve had a really exciting year, from the action thriller Rebel Ridge to the fast-approaching release of Mufasa: The Lion King. How do you find time for yourself during these busy periods?

Aaron Pierre: Anyone who knows me knows that, although I’m an actor and my career
is in this particular space, I’m something of a reclusive, quite honestly. So outside the context of work, because of my nature, I manage to find time to be still, rest and do things that make me happy alongside my career. I read, I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I’m a very physical individual, so I love to go to the gym. I love being a student of martial arts. Above everything else, I love spending time with my loved ones.

JP: In past interviews you’ve spoken a lot about physical health, specifically the intense training you underwent for Rebel Ridge. But you’ve also spoken about the equal importance of your emotional and spiritual wellbeing. How do you navigate this while you’re taking on a different persona?

AP: I’m not a method actor but, that said, I get as close to authenticity and a subjectively truthful representation of any character I have the opportunity to portray. Ten times out of ten, that results in an intense experience. I’m a very routine-orientated individual — irrespective of the role I’ve taken on, or the time zone I’m in, my routine is largely the same. That gives me a sense of calm, safety and predictability within my day-to-day schedule.

Aaron wears jacket and trousers by FENDI.

Aaron wears jacket, trousers and shoes by FENDI and watch by OMEGA.

JP: You’ve also mentioned before that you’re “guided by stories that resonate with you”. What was it about Rebel Ridge that you particularly connected with?

AP: The director, Jeremy Saulnier. We connected instantly. Beyond that, I connected with the character. I felt very passionately that I wanted to tell this particular character’s story. It really resonated with me and I had a strong feeling it would resonate with many people. That’s important to me. I also felt the story was just so eloquently written, so specific and nuanced. It really was a gift of an opportunity. I just wanted to do everything I could to make sure it came to fruition properly, and it did.

JP: One of your first big roles was Caesar in Barry Jenkins’s Amazon Prime series The Underground Railroad. How do you feel your experience working on that show has influenced how you choose your roles?

AP: Enormously — it’s massively inspired and influenced how I operate in this space and what I choose to attach my name to. I try to operate with specificity and intentionality, and that experience really made me double down on that. Barry often speaks about the pursuit of truth and authenticity and never compromising on that. I believe wholeheartedly that that aligns entirely with how I view this space as well. I really believe that audiences do not need to give us any of their time — it’s a choice. And I always want to honour that choice. I want to serve that 90 minutes or two hours that they give us, and that manifests in me giving it my best each time.

Aaron wears jacket and trousers by GUCCI.

Aaron wears jacket, top and trousers by AMIRI.

JP: You’ve also been working with Barry again for the upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King. How was the process working with him different from when you were filming The Underground Railroad?

AP: I would describe it as exactly the same but different at the same time. No matter what project Barry is helming, he operates from a place of love, compassion and empathy. That’s the part that’s the same. The part that’s different is, of course, is The Lion King is an animation and it’s live action. But it’s been really beautiful — like theatre, basically. Theatre is my roots and I’ll never not do theatre. I’ll always find a way back to it, even though it’s always terrifying. But that’s why we do it.

JP: Can we expect to hear you singing in the film?

AP: Yeah. I have to champion and celebrate Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lebo M and their respective teams for that. Prior to The Lion King, I could hold a note for sure, but they put me through the most loving Disney bootcamp. They transformed my voice for this film, so I’m very grateful to them.

Aaron wears shirt, trousers, and shoes by FENDI and watch by OMEGA.

Aaron wears jacket and trousers by FENDI.

JP: On the subject of singing, let’s talk about the film Old for a second. You wrote and recorded your own song for it — “More Dough for the Cookin’”. Tell me how that came about.

AP: I was portraying a young, upcoming rapper. And for as long as I can remember I’ve done spoken word and written raps — I love it. So I was speaking to [Old’s] director, M Night Shyamalan, and it was kind of a mutual idea. I reached out to some producers and they sent me three or four original instrumental beats. I then decided to write the song in two parts — one verse as the character and one verse as myself. I just got excited and creative. I’m really grateful to M Night for trusting me and giving me that creative freedom.

JP: Finally, news broke recently that you would be playing John Stewart — one of the Green Lanterns — in DC’s new Lanterns series. How are you feeling about entering such a wide universe?

AP: Euphoric, to be honest with you. To be blessed with the opportunity to play such an important and special hero, and to do it with the team I’m doing it with, it’s really a dream come true. I can’t wait to give it everything I have — 100 per cent. It’s a really special journey we’re embarking on together, so we’re excited to share it.