Lashana Lynch's The Woman King training changed her Matilda singing voice
Lashana Lynch's training for 'The Woman King' had an impact on her singing voice for 'Matilda the Musical'.
The 34-year-old star had to put on muscle for her role in the historical epic but it created "a juxtaposition" with her role as the kind-hearted Miss Honey in the adaptation of Roald Dahl's story.
Lashana told Variety: "It was such a juxtaposition. There were little conversations about Miss Honey becoming really muscly."
The 'No Time To Die' star had to put in intense work for 'The Woman King' but her strength changed her vocals for the musical numbers in 'Matilda'.
Lashana explained: "My singing voice changed.
"My teacher would be like, 'We need to open your lungs and chest up; your throat needs relaxing.' I'd say, 'That's because I'm toughening up everywhere.' It was wild."
'The Woman King' has been directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and inspired by events that took place in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states in Africa during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Lynch was drawn to the project because of the "complicated" nature of her character Izogie.
The 'Captain Marvel' actress said: "I'd been looking for a very complicated woman to play for a very long time. It's floated in and out of my life, but things that resonate with you and that strike you in a spiritual way, is very rare.
"When this came into my inbox, I knew that as a black woman, I wanted to learn about these women – I want to educate myself through my career. But, at the moment, this woman wasn't someone I'd naturally go for."
Lashana continued: "Then I read it and thought, 'Oh, my gosh!' The human aspect of these women, the humour that Izogie finds through her trauma – which is a conversation that I've been trying to delve into in the black community for a while – was so palatable on the page that I felt as though I had a responsibility to take this role and to really do the women justice, to represent our ancestors fully, in the way that they deserve."
