Greta Gerwig Reveals Why She Cast Meryl Streep as Bowie-Inspired Aslan in ‘Narnia’

Greta Gerwig sought a powerful voice for the character of the lion Aslan in her upcoming fantasy film "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew". She found the perfect actress in Meryl Streep, describing her as having "profound yet not pretentious, gravitas yet not morose self-seriousness", capable of conveying both depth and joy. Streep was chosen because she represented "wisdom of experience" along with a "capacity of fresh wonder", like a child's.

Gerwig also emphasized the importance of having one of the greatest actors in history for the role, admitting the list of suitable candidates was short. This led them to Streep, who had previously worked with Gerwig on "Little Women". The film's concept art shows Streep's Aslan giving birth to Narnia, with a red face stripe and multicolored eyes, an homage to the late David Bowie.

Gerwig aimed for her version of the franchise to feel like a rock opera, likening the world to "a world made out of music". Other notable cast members include Emma Mackey as the White Witch, David McKenna, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds and Daniel Craig. "The Magician's Nephew" is set to premiere in theaters on February 12 after an Imax preview on the 10th, and will be released on Netflix on April 2, with Gerwig securing a significant theatrical window at the streaming platform.