Out of all the classic Disney songs still stuck in your head since childhood, there’s one we’re okay with forgetting: "The Siamese Cat Song." It’s racist and it’s annoying! Thankfully, Disney’s upcoming Lady and the Tramp live-action remake will not be including the song in the soundtrack. Instead, pop sensation Janelle Monáe will be replacing it by penning an original new track.
The Grammy-nominated musician will be lending her talent to the Disney+ movie to refresh the problematic track with her artist collective Wondaland. She will also be adding her own take on “He’s a Tramp” from the original 1955 film and voice a Pekingese dog named Peg, per EW.
“The Siamese Cat Song” isn’t just being changed; there won’t be any trace of it, as the cat breed will not have a presence in the remake. It’s a crucial move for the studio to excise the Asian stereotypes portrayed in the original film that make the animated film dated, and Disney’s decision to enlist the woman behind 2018’s Grammy-nominated Album of the Year Dirty Computer is also a juicy meatball on top.
Among Disney’s many beloved animated films, Lady and the Tramp hasn’t remained as relevant, except for the signature “Bella Notte” scene. Perhaps the remake will breathe some new light into the tale. The movie stars Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok) and Justin Theroux (The Leftovers) as the titular star-crossed doggos. The film also features Sam Elliott as Trusty, Benedict Wong as Bull and Ashley Jensen as a female version of the Scotty dog named Jock.
Thomas Mann from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Kong: Skull Island will be Lady’s human owner Jim Dear. Kiersey Clemons, who previously starred in Flatliners and Hearts Beat Loud, will play his wife Darling. The movie is directed by Charlie Bean, who helmed The LEGO Ninjago Movie and Disney Channel’s Tron: Uprising series.
The Lady and the Tramp remake will be the first Disney film to be released exclusively for its new streaming platform launching in November. It was recently announced the movie will be available to stream on the first day Disney+ comes out. Among the other new content on Disney+ to look forward to at launch is Jon Favreau’s Mandalorian television series and a show called The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Disney+ will launch on November 12 at the impressive price of $6.99, making the price of Lady and the Tramp alone half the price of a movie ticket if you forget all the other options to be found on the streaming service. The addition of Janelle Monáe and Wondaland’s musical tastes to the film certainly looks to bring something new to the movie and reimagining some dated memorable moments from the classic film.
