The Jungle Book
Stunning!
Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha
"She is the protector, the eternal mother," Nyong'o says of the mother wolf. "The word 'Raksha' actually means protection in Hindi. I felt really connected to that, wanting to protect a son that isn't originally hers but one she's taken for her own."
Idris Elba as Shere Khan
"Shere Khan reigns with fear," Elba says of the tiger. "He terrorizes everyone he encounters because he comes from a place of fear."
Scarlett Johansson as Kaa
"Kaa seduces and entraps Mowgli with her storytelling," Johansson says of the python. "She's the mirror into Mowgli's past. The way she moves is very alluring, almost coquettish."
Christopher Walken as King Louie
"King Louie is huge–12 feet tall," Walken says of the ape. "But he's as charming as he is intimidating when he wants to be."
Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera
"Bagheera is Mowgli's adoptive parent," Kingsley says of the panther. "His role in Mowgli's life is to educate, to protect and to guide. My Bagheera was military–he's probably a colonel. He is instantly recognizable by the way he talks, how he acts and what his ethical code is."
Giancarlo Esposito as Akela
"Akela is a fierce patriarch of the wolf pack," Giancarlo Esposito says. "He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers. He's a great leader, a wise teacher."