Samuel E. Wright, the actor who voiced Sebastian in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and played Mufasa in the original cast of The Lion King on Broadway, has passed away at the age of 74.
(Disney)
- The Town of Montgomery, New York Facebook page shared the news of Wright’s passing today.
- Wright was the unforgettable voice of Sebastian in Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid and played the original Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway when the show debuted in 1997.
- Additionally for Disney, Wright voiced the character Kron in the animated film Dinosaur and made musical videos, like “Sebastian’s Party Gras,” from Walt Disney World.
- He also reprised his role as Sebastian for a multitude of projects including The Little Mermaid animated series, The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea and many more.
- In addition to his acting credits, Wright has had a major impact on his community, as the aforementioned Facebook post points out:
- “Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”