We’ve known for a while that the animals in Disney’s new live-action version of The Jungle Book are gorgeous. But now, the actors who voice the animals have posed for a series of portraits with their onscreen characters, and it’s TOO MUCH BEAUTY.
Lupita Nyong’o voices Raksha, who cares for Mowgli like her own cub.
“She is the protector, the eternal mother,” Nyong’o said in a Disney press release. “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.”
Giancarlo Esposito voices Akela, the alpha-male wolf who accepts Mowgli but also fears he’ll endanger the pack.
“Akela is a fierce patriarch of the wolf pack,” said Esposito. “He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers. He’s a great leader, a wise teacher.”