Beyoncé and Jay-Z ‘Weren’t Involved’ in Blue Ivy Getting Mufasa Role (Exclusive)

Blue Ivy Carter, 12, is booked and busy and it’s not just because of her parents.

While at the Mufasa: The Lion King L.A. premiere on Monday, Dec. 9, director Barry Jenkins, 45, revealed that while it’s easy to assume the pre-teen got her role in the film because of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, that’s not entirely the case.

“Her parents weren’t involved in her booking this film,” he told PEOPLE exclusively.

“You know, she had read this book, this audiobook Hair Love with my friend Matthew Cherry. And I just really loved her voice. Because [when] this movie begins, it’s all voices. I could just tell that she was going to bring this really wonderful innocence, but also the knowingness of a highly evolved child,” he explained.

“And she is… the children in the audience, they’re going to see themselves in the character she plays, Kiara. She just brought all the complexity that it demanded.”

As for what it was like getting to direct her, it seems Blue Ivy has adopted her parents’ work ethic.

“It was great working with her,” raved Jenkins. “She came extremely prepared.”

Blue Ivy worked on Hair Love back in 2020. The book tells the touching story of a Black father who learns how to do his young daughter’s hair while his wife is in the hospital. As the young protagonist soon finds out, her father isn’t quite sure what to do with her locks — but they work together to find a solution.

The animated film adaptation of the book also won an Oscar the same year.

For Jenkins, the making of Mufasa: The Lion King was also a dream come true as the Lion King holds a special place in his heart. “My memories of the original Lion King are watching my nephews watch it. ‘Cause I used to babysit them,” he told PEOPLE. “And really seeing them process some really complex emotions for the first time, but then they’re laughing five minutes later.”

He continued, “I thought it was this really great magic trick, that only Disney could do that. And to be entrusted to do that for another generation, for that same generation, it’s a dream come true.”

The Knowles-Carter clan was on hand to support the budding star at the big premiere on Monday night. Both Beyoncé and Jay-Z walked the carpet with their firstborn and were also seen cheering her on from the sidelines. Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles was also on hand for her granddaughter’s big night.

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In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by Good Morning America on Dec. 10, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer could be seen getting emotional while singing her daughter’s praises.

“Seeing Blue as Kiara and hearing her voice come out of that character — give me a second because I can’t believe that’s my baby… That’s so amazing,” the singer gushed. “It was really hard to focus and do my job after that. I was like, ‘Wait, hold up, guys, y’all gotta give me a second. I have to digest that.’ I’m so proud of her.”

Mufasa: The Lion King comes out in theaters on Dec. 20. The film — which also stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Anika Noni Rose among others — features music from Lin-Manuel Miranda.