Keeping up with her family’s legacy, Blue Ivy Carter made a dazzling red carpet debut at the Los Angeles premiere of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King. The event, held on Hollywood Boulevard, was a family affair, with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, in attendance. The family’s appearance was a rare and stunning surprise for fans and press alike, especially given Beyoncé’s preference for private photoshoots over public red carpets.

At just 12 years old, Blue Ivy steps into the spotlight as the voice of Princess Kiara, daughter of Simba (voiced by Donald Glover) and Nala (voiced by Beyoncé) in Disney’s highly anticipated prequel to The Lion King. Directed by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origin story of one of Disney’s most beloved characters.

For Blue Ivy, this marks her debut in a feature film, a big step forward from her appearances in several of her parents’ music videos and live performances.

Both Blue Ivy and Beyoncé dazzled in coordinating gold ensembled dresses, capturing their essence, beauty and class.

Speaking about casting Blue Ivy, Jenkins shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “We knew it was a bold idea. Blue Ivy had narrated the audiobook for Hair Love by Matthew Cherry, and that sparked the thought, would Blue Ivy want to do it? Would Beyoncé want to act opposite her daughter? Is it too close to home?’ But once we put the question to them, they both responded with enthusiasm.”

Jenkins also reflected on the synergy between Beyoncé and Blue Ivy during production. “What’s crazy is we made the film, and then the Renaissance tour happened, and I think Blue really grew up over the course of that tour,” he said.**

Although Kiara did not appear in the original 1994 classic The Lion King, fans of the franchise will remember her as a pivotal character from the 1998 sequel, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. Blue Ivy’s portrayal of Kiara connects generations of fans, bridging the beloved past with an exciting future.