Lizzo has reacted to a viral Tiktok responding to calls for her to play the Muse Thalia in a live-action remake of the Disney classic Hercules. Released in 1997, Disney's Hercules featured a literal Greek chorus in the form of the Muses who served as the narrators of the film and also offered backing vocals on songs like Megara's (Susan Egan) "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)". Voiced by Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas, the five Muses featured in the film - Calliope, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia and Clio - traditionally preside over a different form of art such as tragedy, dance, and in the case of Thalia, comedy.
Disney has seen great success with their live-action remakes of their more popular films, such as Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and Aladdin, and this is likely to continue with their upcoming Peter Pan and Wendy, directed by The Green Knight's David Lowery, which is set to release in 2022. As such, Disney fans have been clamoring for a remake of Hercules as the film remains a beloved favorite for many who grew up during the Disney Renaissance of 1989 to 1999. A remake has been announced, and naturally, this comes with a great deal of fan-casting for the project, including many claiming Lizzo should play the role of Thalia.
However, one Tiktok user Alexsispage took umbrage with this fan-casting and claimed that the casting "makes no sense" and that "the only reason they're saying [Lizzo should play Thalia] is because she's a bigger girl." She went on to point out that "Thalia is shortest muse [while] Lizzo is five f*cking ten" and that Lizzo would be a better fit for Terpsichore, muse of lyric poetry and dancing, as Lizzo's vocal register better matches that of the original voice actress LaChanze. Lizzo herself has since released a TikTok reacting to Alexispage's original, in which she nods along and appears to agree with the points being made, although she does write in the caption: "I’m 5’9."
Lizzo also appears to agree with Alexsispage's own fan-casting for the role of Thalia. She points out that Breesha Webb, Gabourey Sidibe, or Robin Thede would be better suited due to their experience as comedy actresses better fitting with Thalia's role as not only the Muse of comedy but also the comic-relief of the Muses. In particular Lizzo agrees that Thede would be excellent in the role.
Part of what has inspired the calls for Lizzo to play the role of Thalia is her recent music video for "Rumors," which contains numerous references to the Muses and sees the rapper in a set reminiscent of Ancient Greece with multiple neo-classic poses. While it would undoubtedly be excellent to see Lizzo in a live-action remake of Hercules, especially as her vocal talents would be an excellent addition to the Muses, it's hard not to agree with Alexsispage's points. Casting someone purely based on one-facet of their physical appearance is incredibly short-sighted. While Lizzo has some experience working in comedy, having appeared in 2019's Hustlers, it's not necessarily enough to carry the comedy timing required for a role like Thalia.
It is still very much early days on the the Russo brothers produced Hercules remake. As such, very little is currently known about the cast, although rumors abound that Ariana Grande could be playing Megara as she performed "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" at The Disney Family Singalong in 2020. Regardless of whether she plays Thalia or not, Lizzo would make a great addition to the cast of Hercules and having made homage to the film in her most recent music video, hopefully Disney will be inspired to collaborate with the rapper for the project in some capacity or another.
Source: Lizzo