A familiar figure, a new voice: Meryl Streep’s Aslan stirs gender debate over Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’
A casting decision in Greta Gerwig's movie adaptation of "The Chronicles of Narnia" is already generating outrage from many conservative Christian commentators.
The decision to cast Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan in Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of "The Magician's Nephew," the first book in the beloved Narnia series, has sparked controversy among conservative Christian viewers. Aslan, a lion character in C.S. Lewis' 1950s children's books, is often interpreted as a symbolic representation of Jesus Christ, and many Christians believe portraying a divine figure as female would be an affront to their faith.
While Gerwig has expressed her intent to find an actor who embodies depth and pathos alongside joy and delight, some evangelical critics argue that the casting is an act of subversion against Christianity. Film scholar Kat Coffin cautions against jumping to conclusions, emphasizing that the issue lies not in a woman voicing a male character but in the perceived alteration of Aslan's gender.
Lewis' family has publicly endorsed Gerwig's approach, expressing support for her directorial vision.
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