“Relatable” podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey isn’t questioning whether actress Meryl Streep can act — she’s questioning whether her voice belongs to Aslan.
“We need like a James Earl Jones in this role,” Stuckey said in a clip shared on her YouTube channel earlier this month.
Her objection to writer-director Greta Gerwig’s NARNIA: THE MAGICIAN’S NEPHEW goes beyond a preference for a deeper voice. Stuckey argued that giving the male lion a female voice changes how audiences encounter the character’s representation of Christ.
To explain why that matters to her, she turned to another Narnia story, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She pointed to Aslan’s death on the Stone Table as a parallel to the crucifixion and discussed the White Witch’s removal of his mane as part of his humiliation.
For Stuckey, the mane isn’t a disposable detail. She connected it to the lion’s masculinity and sees the voice casting as another change to an element she considers essential to Lewis’ portrayal.
But she makes room for a distinction that can get lost in arguments over adaptations: an accomplished performance and a faithful adaptation aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Related: C.S. Lewis Knew the Gospel Power of Narnia—But Netflix Is Rewriting It
“So, if you watch this movie, it might be good artistically. It probably will be. There will be good acting,” she said.
Stuckey also praised Streep’s acting ability before returning to her concern about fidelity to author C.S. Lewis. Her criticism addressed the creative choice and its theological implications, not a lack of talent on the actress’s part.
Gerwig has offered her own explanation for the casting. In Empire’s exclusive coverage, she described wanting an actor who could balance seriousness, wonder and delight.
“Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight,” Gerwig told Empire. She also said she wanted someone older than 70, bringing both experience and a childlike capacity for wonder.
The upcoming movie tells Narnia’s origin story. Netflix describes the adaptation as the first screen version of Lewis’ 1955 novel, with young actors David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell joining an ensemble that includes Streep, actress Emma Mackey and actor Daniel Craig.
In The Magician’s Nephew, the focus shifts to the beginning of Narnia itself. Netflix’s announcement highlights Aslan singing that world into existence — a creative act that puts the lion at the center of the adventure before the wardrobe story begins.
The project also has public support from the company responsible for Lewis’ literary legacy. In an Oct. 16 publishing announcement, The C.S. Lewis Company managing director Vincent Sieber-Smith praised Gerwig’s respect and admiration for Narnia, while HarperCollins announced new editions tied to the adaptation.
Those editions will include paperback and hardcover box sets of the seven-book series. HarperCollins says the Narnia books have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, giving the new adaptation a readership that already spans generations.
Netflix currently lists a worldwide theatrical release for Feb. 12, 2027, followed by streaming April 2. For families weighing the new Narnia, Stuckey’s challenge is to look beyond whether the movie sounds beautiful and ask what its creative choices communicate about the story’s central lion.
Read Next: Netflix Ruined Narnia… So We Fixed It.
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
