Word on the street is that Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé are caught up in a nasty feud. It all allegedly started when Kim tried to sabotage 12-year-old Blue Ivy’s career to make her own daughter, North, more successful.
There have been whispers for a while that Kim has been trying to use North to compete with Beyoncé. These rumors gained momentum after Blue Ivy became the youngest artist to win a Grammy and gained even more fame by performing with Beyoncé during the Renaissance tour. Now, it seems there might be some truth to the speculation, as Kim appears to be getting desperate and is reportedly spending a lot of money to push North ahead of Blue Ivy.
For those of you who haven’t caught wind of the recent controversy, Kim found herself in hot water when it surfaced that she’d quietly greased the palms of casting directors to land her daughter, North, the role of young Simba in “The Lion King” live concert film. Many folks weren’t happy about it, feeling North lacked the chops for the part and got it solely because of her mom’s fame. And when North hit the stage, her performance made it painfully obvious she wasn’t cut out for it.
Initially, some brushed off the criticism as sour grapes aimed at North. But then, a parent whose kid had also auditioned for the same role spilled the beans on TikTok. Turns out, Kim had pulled strings behind the scenes, elbowing out other talented kids who had busted their tails in auditions and screen tests, just so North could waltz into the role without even trying out herself.
The woman couldn’t shake off the memory of that moment when she and her daughter, along with the other kids, were anxiously waiting in the audition room. Then, in walked Kim and North, out of the blue. It felt like mere minutes passed before Kim was chatting with the casting directors and just like that, North got the role, and the rest of them were sent packing.
Her daughter, talented and beautiful beyond measure, had auditioned for the role of Simba in “The Lion King” at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. They were thrilled for her to have this shot, especially since she’d already made her mark on Broadway four times over and had some TV and film credits to her name. It seemed like the perfect fit. Her agent had pulled some strings to get her in, and she’d made it through four nerve-wracking rounds of callbacks. The final round came down to three girls, and her daughter was among them. But as they sat in that room, nervously waiting, in walked Kim Kardashian with her daughter.
Rumors had been swirling about someone using their influence to get their kid seen by the casting directors, and they found out then and there that it was North. It was a blow. They’d heard the casting directors were looking for a talented kid with real experience but without a big name, someone who could represent an underrepresented voice in the community. They thought their daughter was exactly that. But then word got out that Kim Kardashian had basically bought her daughter’s way into the production, despite lacking the necessary experience for the role.
It’s truly disappointing to witness, and it’s high time Hollywood learned a valuable lesson: talent should always trump connections. Once news broke, it became painfully obvious that Kim was attempting to pit North against Blue. What’s more, just a week prior, Blue had already secured a role in the “Lion King” prequel.
Isn’t it odd how Kim suddenly decided to secure North a spot in “The Lion King” concert film right after Blue’s casting announcement? It feels like she’s pushing North to compete with Blue, despite North’s lack of interest in such pursuits. Recently, insider gossip revealed that Kim, often criticized for her lack of depth, has been subtly comparing her child’s abilities to those of two established A-listers.
It’s all so petty, but unfortunately, it’s par for the course with the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Kim Kardashian, Blue Ivy, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and North West—it’s not surprising given Kim’s history of doing whatever it takes to stay in the spotlight. But this instance feels like a new low, even for her. Sadly, it’s not the first time Kim has been accused of trying to outshine Beyoncé and using North as a pawn in the process.
Kim initially tried to cozy up to Beyoncé, hoping to become her bestie. But Beyoncé wasn’t having it and made it clear she wasn’t feeling Kim at all. Things got real tense when Jay-Z and Kanye, once tight, ghosted Kim and Kanye’s wedding. That snub seriously irked the couple and marked the start of the bad blood between them and Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
In an interview with Charlamagne, Kanye aired his feelings, saying, “I get they had their stuff going on, but come on, it’s family. You don’t miss a wedding. I had to speak my truth.” Things hit a boiling point when Kanye went off during a show in Sacramento in 2016, calling out Jay-Z and Beyoncé. He accused them of backstabbing and trying to ruin his career after their fallout. Jay-Z hit back in “Everything Is Love,” his joint album with Beyoncé in 2018, where he spilled the beans on why they skipped Kimye’s wedding. Jay-Z’s bars laid it bare: “I’m not showing up when my wife and yours are at odds. I’ll stick around even if the house is burning down. Family first.”
Let’s circle back to North and Blue. It wasn’t until last year, during Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour, that folks started to catch on to Kim’s scheme of using North to take a jab at Beyoncé. The light bulb moment came when Beyoncé brought out Blue to perform alongside her. Suddenly, Blue was everywhere, receiving heaps of praise. And what does Kim do? She jumps on the TikTok train with North, trying to hog the spotlight. But let’s be real, her intentions were as clear as day, and people weren’t buying it.
Kim’s desperate attempt to infiltrate Beyoncé’s inner circle and compete with her fell flat. So now, she’s grooming North to go head-to-head with Blue Ivy. It’s all just a game to Kim, but unfortunately, North is the one caught in the middle.
As always, everyone had their two cents. One person hit the nail on the head, saying, “I’ve been saying this for ages. Kim’s pushing North to be the next big thing, to outshine Blue Ivy. But let’s face it, Blue’s got Beyoncé’s legacy to back her up. Kim’s just trying to shake off that ‘no talent’ label people slap on her and her sisters. But using North like this? It’s not cool. Remember when she pushed her into that Lion King role? Not cool at all. Beyoncé’s letting Blue earn her stripes, while Kim’s just forcing it. Blue worked her butt off on tour, practicing and perfecting her craft. North? Not so much. Kim needs to cut it out.”
Someone else commented, “North is still a kid, so I won’t be too hard on her. It’s not her fault, but Kim really ought to feel ashamed for snatching roles from more deserving child actors and paying her way through. It’s not really showcasing North’s talent, and that’s obvious.”
But now, I’m really curious about your take. What do you all think about Kim footing the bill for North to land that role? Do you suspect Kim might be leveraging North to compete with Blue Ivy behind the scenes? Share your thoughts in the comments section below