Donald Glover will voice Simba, and Mufasa will be played by James Earl Jones.
The pride’s all here! Alfre Woodard is the latest to join Jon Favreau’s The Lion King, voicing Sarabi, Simba’s mom. Woodard joins Donald Glover as Simba and James Earl Jones, who will be reprising his role as Mufasa. Madge Sinclair voiced Sarabi in the original 1994 Disney animated version. Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner and John Oliver will also voice parts in the feature, which recently added Chiwetel Ejiofor to its roster to play the villain, Scar. Jeff Nathanson (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) wrote the script for Disney, with Favreau and Jeffrey Silver producing. Lion King is currently shooting in Los Angeles. Woodard was most recently seen in the Sundance standout Burning Sands and Netflix’s Marvel series Luke Cage. Up next for the Oscar nominee is the indie Saint Judy, where she stars opposite Common and Michelle Monaghan, and Clark Johnson’s Juanita, where she plays the title role. She is repped by ICM, Circle of Confusion and Gochman.
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"The Lion King" is one of the most beloved Disney films of all time. The main character, Simba, is the son of Mufasa, the king of the Pride Lands, and Sarabi, the mate of Mufasa. Sarabi is a loving, devoted mother and mate. After Mufasa's death, Sarabi takes on the role of protector over the other members of the pride. She stands her ground against the tyrannical behavior of Mufasa's evil brother Scar. Her headstrong demeanor doesn't allow her to ever give up on her son returning to the Pride Lands. Source: MyLionKing.com
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Character synopses, histories, and relationships are sourced from The Lion King, The Lion King 1 1/2, and the hardcover children's book A Tale of Two Brothers released in 1994 by Disney, written by Alex Simmons. This book is not strictly "canon" anymore, in that some of its content (namely the cub Kopa, Simba and Nala's son) has been contradicted by the release of The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride. However, its accounts of the events prior to the beginning of The Lion King with regard to the origins of Mufasa, Scar, Zazu, and others, remains uncontested. Therefore it is still considered "canon" on those points. This site shows only the principal named characters from The Lion King. For an authoritative listing of all canon characters from all the Disney movies, TV shows, books, and comics based on the Lion King universe, see the TLK Compleat Character List compiled by Criswell. The Lion King Characters Simba Meaning: lion (Swahili) Species: Lion Simba is a rowdy, independent little cub who likes to romp and play. When Simba's father dies, it leaves Simba unsure about who he is. Then Rafiki shows Simba his reflection in a pool and the young lion understands that his father's courage and wisdom are a part of him, too. — © 1994 Skybox
Blamed for his father's death in a disastrous wildebeest stampede engineered by Scar and the Hyenas, and exiled to the jungle far from Pride Rock, Simba is befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, the unlikely pair of outcasts living the easy life in the land of crystal waterfalls and tasty bugs. He'd be perfectly happy to live there forever, if not for a chance meeting with Nala that calls him back home to face his destiny. lionking.org images featuring Simba | Original Fan-Art featuring Simba Nala Meaning: gift (Swahili—dubious) Species: Lion Every bit as rambunctious as Simba, Nala is ready to go wherever he goes or do whatever he does. Best buddies, the twosome are taken aback when Zazu tells them they are to be married. What a yucky idea! But time changes things, and when they meet again, they realize their friendship has deepened into love. — © 1994 Skybox
The Pride's traditions dictate that Nala and Simba will one day be Queen and King together; but when Simba is lost after Mufasa's death, she devotes her life to providing for the pride as the Pride Lands fall into ruin. Scar eventually comes to see Nala as a prize, a Queen to his own throne (a subplot that is more fully explored in the Broadway Musical than in the movie); but she spurns him and chooses instead, in desperation, to leave Pride Rock and search for help from outside. The last thing she expects, though, is to find Simba alive again. lionking.org images featuring Nala | Original Fan-Art featuring Nala Mufasa Meaning: none (proper name; last king of the Bagada people of pre-colonial Kenya) Species: Lion Regal, commanding and majestic, Mufasa is a great king with a kind, generous heart. Concerned with teaching his son Simba to be a wise, responsible adult and king, Mufasa can seem a bit stern at times, but it's only because he loves Simba and wants to keep the youngster on the right track. — © 1994 Skybox
As a king and leader, Mufasa holds a deep understanding of the forces that make the Pride Lands balanced and healthy. His duties as King of Pride Rock include managing the hunting by his own pride and other creatures, and resolving disputes over feeding and watering grounds, to ensure the land's resources are not exhausted; he also must patrol the boundaries to drive out interlopers and prevent such crimes as killing for sport. Of course, he's also responsible for raising his son Simba to be a wise king like himself—a responsibility that Simba may not yet be ready for. Mufasa's greatest weakness is his trust and kindness, for because of it the bitterness and jealousy that Scar feels toward him appears as nothing more than common sibling rivalry. But Mufasa does not suspect his brother of being so consumed by these feelings that he would actually go so far as to plot Mufasa's murder in order to usurp the throne.lionking.org images featuring Mufasa | Original Fan-Art featuring Mufasa Scar Meaning: none (proper name; taken as a nickname after "Taka", or "scar") Species: Lion As Mufasa's brother, Scar was next in line for the throne until Simba's birth, and he is obsessed with the need to possess it. Although Scar hides his plot with concern for Simba's safety, this evil, cunning betrayer is really Simba's and Mufasa's enemy-- a fact which the great-hearted Mufasa realizes too late. — © 1994 Skybox
lionking.org images featuring Scar | Original Fan-Art featuring Scar Zazu Meaning: none (proper name) Species: Hornbill Mufasa's trusted advisor, Zazu is a prim and proper hornbill with a strong sense of personal dignity. Although Zazu's feathers can be easily ruffled, he is dedicated to Mufasa. The honorable hornbill would give his right wing for the lion king and stays with the pride through good and bad times. — © 1994 Skybox
Under the kingship of Mufasa, Zazu's position is one that fills him with pride and courtly manners. It's his job to report to the king on any potential disputes or crises over hunting, feeding, or watering rights, or any encroachment by outsiders who must be driven out of the Pride Lands. He takes this job quite seriously, and even the formal-minded Mufasa finds Zazu's fussiness amusing enough to make him the butt of occasional jokes. Yet Zazu is supremely loyal to the king, taking on all responsibilities without complaint, even when asked to babysit Simba and Nala on their adventures. lionking.org images featuring Zazu | Original Fan-Art featuring Zazu Timon Meaning: none (proper name) Species: Meerkat Timon is a hyperactive meerkat with a motor mouth. Whether he's making good-natured jokes at Pumbaa's expense or pitching his free-wheeling lifestyle to Simba, Timon always has a fast line. But behind the patter is a loyal little guy who'd give his last wisecrack to help a friend. — © 1994 Skybox
When Simba is exiled from the Pride Lands following his father's murder, he is rescued from near death from exhaustion by the carefree duo, who pass on to him their "put your behind in your past" philosophy (which fits in perfectly with his need to forget about the ghosts of guilt that haunt him). Simba grows into a kingly lion on the same diet of bugs that Timon and Pumbaa eat, but only the unlooked-for arrival of Nala threatens to bring to an end the fellowship of the three outcasts. Timon refuses to believe there's anything more to life than hakuna matata, but eventually his loyalty to his friends wins him over and he plays an instrumental role in the retaking of Pride Rock. lionking.org images featuring Timon | Original Fan-Art featuring Timon Pumbaa Meaning: dull-witted, stunned (Swahili) Species: Warthog A well-padded warthog, Pumbaa is a bit clumsy and dimwitted, but his empathy and intuition make up for his slow thought processes. Sympathetic and warm-hearted, Pumbaa is ready to trust anyone-- even a carnivore like Simba. And when Simba confronts his destiny, the loyal warthog is the first to follow. — © 1994 Skybox
Pumbaa's steadfastness makes him the partner anyone would wish to have when the time comes for Simba, who had been raised by Timon and himself in the luxurious ease of the jungle, to return home to Pride Rock and challenge his usurping uncle Scar. Pumbaa unhesitatingly follows Simba and Nala into battle—for he knows the value of duty, hakuna matata or not. His loyalty to the needs of his friend Simba eventually overpowers Timon into following Pumbaa's honorable example. lionking.org images featuring Pumbaa | Original Fan-Art featuring Pumbaa Sarabi Meaning: mirage (Swahili) Species: Lion Sarabi, Mufasa's wife and Simba's mother, is kind, gentle and loving. She's also wise to her little son's tricks. Courageous Sarabi holds her own through Scar's destructive rule, and is proud when her son comes back to battle the evil ruler and claim his rightful place as King.— © 1994 Skybox
The death of Mufasa all but snuffs out the joy of life from Sarabi, and under the leadership of Scar and the occupying Hyenas, her stolid duty is only to the pride and what remains of the fertile land. Ever defiant to the usurping king, she retains Mufasa's knowledge of the balance of the Circle of Life and tries in vain to make Scar understand the damage he's causing to the Pride Lands; but her advice is unwanted and unheeded by the vindictive usurper. Only the unlooked-for return of Simba stops what surely would have been Sarabi's murder by Scar seeking a scapegoat for his own failures.
Rafiki Meaning: friend (Swahili) Species: Mandrill Rafiki, the wise old baboon, is like a tribal medicine man or an ancient shaman. Rafiki travels his own road, sings his own songs and knows what he knows. After anointing newborn Simba, Rafiki wanders off on his mystical way. He returns again to guide Simba back to the path he was meant to follow. — © 1994 Skybox
A ghostly, flitting presence, Rafiki turns up from time to time to dispense wisdom to those in need of it. Timon encounters him at the time of his own exile to be taught of the philosophy of hakuna matata; and later, Rafiki teaches a much different doctrine to the grown Simba, who upon being reunited with Nala must look within himself to discover the meaning of his heritage as the true Lion King and inheritor of Mufasa's throne. Perhaps Rafiki is the only one who truly understands how every creature, in his or her own way, fits into the Circle of Life. lionking.org images featuring Rafiki | Original Fan-Art featuring Rafiki Hyenas (Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed) Meaning: demon, uncouth (Shenzi); skulk, lurk (Banzai—dubious) Species: Spotted Hyenas Always on the lookout for their next meal or an innocent victim to taunt, tease or terrorize, Banzai, the male hyena, and Shenzi, the female, talk and joke while Ed, the third troublemaker, only laughs. When they're not arguing, these three punks can be found doing Scar's dirty work-- which is no laughing matter. — © 1994 Skybox
When it comes time for Scar to move against his brother and nephew, he calls upon the aid of his Hyena henchmen, who by the time of Simba's birth have become lazily subservient to him and his ability to provide food and diversion for them. They're clever enough to be employed in creating a deadly stampede that results in Mufasa's death and Simba's exile, and they are rewarded richly with positions of power and privilege within Scar's kingdom, even surpassing the status of the lionesses of Pride Rock, throughout Scar's destructive reign. However, the Hyenas are also smart enough to realize, when Simba returns for vengeance against Scar, when the usurping king has double-crossed them in an attempt to save his own skin; and they get the last laugh when Scar falls at their feet, cast down and at their mercy. They are not inclined to give him any. lionking.org images featuring the Hyenas | Original Fan-Art featuring the Hyenas |