For adults who grew up with the film — and kids still watching the perennial hit — it would be incomplete without Rowan Atkinson's voice as Zazu, Mufasa's right-hand hornbill.
Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, a hornbill who serves as the king's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). Madge Sinclair as Queen Sarabi, Mufasa's mate, Simba's mother, and the leader of the lioness hunting party.
"I didn't want to do it, really, because voiceovers, voice work is something I generally had never done and never liked. I'm a visual artiste, if I'm anything, and it seemed to be a pointless thing to do," Atkinson said.
Atkinson has appeared in various films, including the James Bond film Never Say Never Again (1983), The Witches (1990), Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Rat Race (2002), Scooby-Doo (2002), Love Actually (2003), and Wonka (2023). He played the voice role of Zazu in the Disney animated film The Lion King (1994).
Rowan Atkinson Gives Fellow 'Zazu,' John Oliver, Some Advice | PeopleTV
What does Zazu mean in Swahili?
And our teachers of the meaning of hakuna matada need a mention here too: Timon means respect, while Pumbaa means slow-witted. In fact, all of the names in The Lion King have origins in Swahili; everyone from Rafiki (friend) to Zazu (movement)!
Robert Peter Williams Guillaume was an actor from St. Louis, Missouri who was known for playing Rafiki from The Lion King, Benson DuBois from Soap and Benson, and Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls.
Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from The Lion King franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 film.
Simba was originally voiced by actors Matthew Broderick and Jonathan Taylor Thomas as an adult and cub, respectively; various actors have voiced the character in related media.
Mr. Bean rarely speaks, and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned.
Bean, is a person who stutters. Unlike some other famous actors with this speech difficulty, Rowan Atkinson's stutter is not widely known. However, stuttering still is definitely a factor in his life. His stuttering has been the subject of newspaper articles such as “Rowan 'Mr.
I don't much enjoy playing him. The weight of responsibility is not pleasant. “I find it stressful and exhausting, and I look forward to the end of it.”
“I don't want him to particularly grow old, and if I carry on playing him then he's going to get older, whether we like it or not, I've always regarded Mr Bean as an ageless, timeless figure. I would like to remember [him] how he was five or 10 years ago.”
As Mufasa leaped into the stampede to rescue his son, Zazu began to panic and resolved to fetch help, only for Scar to knock him unconscious. After Mufasa fell to his death in the stampede, Scar reported on his death, as well as Simba's purported death, to the pride.
Mufasa's most trusted advisor, Zazu is a prim and proper Hornbill bird with a sense of personal dignity. Although Zazu's feathers can be ruffled, he is dedicated to Mufasa. The honourable hornbill would give his right wing for the 'Lion King', and stays with the pride through good times and bad.
One day, on a solo patrol, Askari encountered a mysterious lion, who suggested that Askari should be the King of the Pride Lands instead of Mufasa; a thought that intrigued Askari. However, the lion led him to a trap where a cobra bit his left eye, giving him his infamous scar as well as poisoning Askari's mind.
In the first movie, Simba was voiced by several people: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, was Simba as a child, and Jason Weaver was the singing voice of child Simba. Matthew Broderick was his voice as an adult, and Joseph Williams the singing adult.
Mufasa's last words (when he was alive) were when he was screaming : BROTHER, HELP ME !! to his brother Scar while he was dangling from the side of the cliff that he jumped on after rescuing his son Simba from the stampede, but Scar instead threw Mufasa off of that cliff and killed him.
Mufasa is a name of African origin that means “king” or “ruler.” The name has Swahili roots and is commonly used in the eastern regions of Africa. In Swahili, the word “mufasa” is derived from the verb “ku-fasa,” which means to “rule over” or “govern.” 🦁
Although the character Rafiki from The Lion King is often referred to as a baboon, the colors on his face indicate that he is actually a mandrill. Males have red and blue muzzles and similarly colored rear ends. The reds and blues can blend to form gorgeous hues of purple.
Pumbaa is a male warthog. He is the adoptive uncle of Bunga and Simba. Due to his flatulence problem, Pumbaa grew accustomed to being alone. One day, he met a meerkat named Timon, who was on a quest to find his dream home.
Madge Dorita Sinclair, CD (née Walters), was a Jamaican-born American character actress and voice actress, who was known in Disney for voicing Sarabi in the 1994 Disney animated feature film The Lion King (her final film role before her death).
Wright(1946-2021) Samuel Ernest Wright was an African-American actor and singer from Camden, South Carolina. He notably voiced Sebastian the Crab from Disney's The Little Mermaid franchise and Kron the Iguanodon from Dinosaur.
Because director Julie Taymor felt that the story lacked the presence of a strong female, Rafiki was changed into a female mandrill. The role was originated on Broadway by Tsidii Le Loka, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 1998 for her performance. Rafiki's role is expanded in the musical.
