C.S. Lewis' Family 'Very Upset' Over Meryl Streep as Aslan, Ted Baehr Says
One of America’s foremost experts on faith and entertainment says C.S. Lewis’ family is unhappy with Greta Gerwig’s decision to give Aslan a female voice in her upcoming Narnia movie, saying the casting raises serious theological concerns because Lewis intended the beloved lion to represent Christ.
Movieguide’s Ted Baehr made the comments in an interview with CBN’s Billy Hallowell this week, days after it was confirmed that Meryl Streep would portray Aslan the lion in the Netflix film "Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew," which is scheduled to open in theaters in February.
Gerwig ("Barbie," "Little Women") is directing it.
“C.S. Lewis would be turning over his grave,” Baehr said. “His family is very upset about it, and I think we should be upset about it.”
Baehr said he visited Australia recently and stayed with Tim Gresham, C.S. Lewis’ step-grandson, in Sydney. Baehr is also friends with Douglas Gresham, Tim’s father and Lewis’ stepson.
“They're very concerned about it because they're worried that it's going to destroy the brand,” he said of the family. “So there's lots of issues. One, it's beloved. One, it's going to destroy the brand. But there's a deeper issue, which is the theological issue. … If God is a Father, He is not Meryl Streep pretending to be a Father. He's not trans. He's the Father. He's our Father. He loves us. He adopts us.”
Baehr has a deep connection to the Narnia story, having headed the organization that produced the Emmy-winning 1979 CBS adaptation of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." It was animated by Bill Melendez Productions of "Peanuts" fame.
“The story is about Aslan representing Jesus. I got thousands of letters. One man wrote a letter that I still remember, and he said: My wife has been nagging me for years about accepting Jesus, but it wasn't until I saw Aslan on the stone table and the resurrection that I understood who Jesus is.”
"The Magician’s Nephew" tells Narnia’s creation story, with Aslan bringing the world into existence.
“'The Magician's Nephew,' of course, is the beginning. It's Genesis. You have to have God as a father,” Baehr said. “You can't have God being voiced as a woman. This is not theologically correct. I mean, it may work as a movie. … This is probably going to be very likable. And a lot of people are going to go see it. And the problem often is that people put money and box office before accuracy. Theologically, this is a tremendous heresy, and it's a tremendous problem.”
Baehr said he believes Gerwig has “a heart for God” but “is much more feminist,” pointing to the 2023 blockbuster "Barbie" as an example.
“She's a very good filmmaker,” he said.
Baehr urged parents to prepare their children for the film and the many ways it may differ from the original story.
“You've got to talk to your children about it,” he said. “You've got to educate them. … This is one of the movies that is going to be intended to break their values. So understand what the truth is, so you can defend the truth, because the truth will set you free.”
Photo Credit: ©Hwawon Lee/Anadolu via Getty Images
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published September 23, 2026.
