Why hasn't a caucasian Simba been cast?

[RW3]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:11am

The show has been running for over 10 years and soon be the highest grossing musical of all time, so wouldn't you think they would have cast a Caucasian man as Simba by now?

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:16am

They would need a caucasian Mufasa and a caucasian Sarabi, and caucasian understudies for them all. It's the "look" they have built upon is all.

[RW3]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:20am

blaxx, you make a good point. I guess Disney didn't care about that when they cast Adam Jacobs.

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:24am

They have a predominantly black cast because it is a show that is heavily African. It's really only the hyenas/Zazu/Timon/Pumbaa that are cast with caucasian actors.
If we're going with the "look" logic, take a look at The Little Mermaid: Norm Lewis was the father of the little red headed mermaid, a blonde mermaid, an Asian mermaid, and the brother of a Jewish/Italian-sounding octopus. That said... who cares. Norm Lewis wore a skirt and body glitter.

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:56am

It still needs to be cohesive. The story focuses strongly on the father-son relationship, a blond, blue eyed Simba just was not part of Taymor's aesthetics.

Zambello just wanted to push "ugly" all over merpeople world, not a good example.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:12am

Scar is also usually Caucasian.

And I agree with blaxx. You'd have to recast Mufasa, Sarabi, and the Young Simba to make it work.

Also, I don't think Adam Jacobs is white.

[RW3]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:19am

He's ethnic, Filipino to be exact

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:28am

There have been "ethnic" Simbas, too. Just don't expect an albino to play the part anytime soon.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:51am

I'm just wondering why the race of the rest of the family matters at all when everyone is playing an animal with either a mask or a puppet anyway.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:57am

There is also something on the books that a certain percentage of the actors need to be of color -- I don't know if it goes far enough to list specific roles with that requirement.
(Or at least thats what I was told at one point -- I could have been misled, but I seem to remember others backing it up.)

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:23am

Last time The Lion King came through the theatre where I work in the box office, someone called and asked, "Is this the black version of the Lion King again?"

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:29am

Because it's set in Africa, so why would there be white people?

There are so many shows dominated by white people, leave this one alone.

[Broadwaystar2]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:33am

The same reason there is yet to be a BLACK Elphaba in ANY incarnation of Wicked. I'm not talking understudy either.

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:40am

^^^^^^ ?????? O_O Is this a real statement?

"Because it's set in Africa, so why would there be white people?"

You have obviously never turned on the television and or read a book. South Africa at one point had a multitude of Caucasians running the government. Study your history sir/madame! There is life outside your apartment!

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:43am

Alexia Khadime, Lilli Cooper, Saycon Sengbloh, Dan'yelle Williams, Amaris Dupree and others would like to have a word with you, broadwaystar2. And a black actor playing a role originated by a white person is very different than vice versa.

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:44am

Lions are native to Africa. White people came in and exploited it.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:45am

The same reason there is yet to be a BLACK Elphaba in ANY incarnation of Wicked.

Oh please. Do research before making statements like that. This is Saycon Sengbloh. She is black. She played Elphaba.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:46am

Because it's set in Africa, so why would there be white people?

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:48am

Haha ^
When rereading my comment, I noticed that

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:49am

The nerve

[BroadwayBryce]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:51am

I worked with a woman who played Nala on Broadway a few years ago and she actually said its written by Julie Taymor in Lion King's contract that only timon, pumba, and scar can be Caucasian

[rabymon10]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:51am

On casting for the upcoming Australian return season:

“In casting the show, our task from [director] Julie Taymor was to find a diverse and exciting group of performers who uniquely reflect the cultural influences of our country and our region” said Executive Producer James Thane.

http://aussietheatre.com.au/news/confirmed-full-cast-of-the-lion-king-announced


Updated On: 10/20/13 at 02:51 AM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 2:54am

Denzel Washington can play Julius Caesar but forget any more than token Caucasians in Lion King. Had no problem with Denzel as IC in case you are interested

The old double standard is alive and well

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 3:23am

Are you effing kidding me with that, Mr Roxy? Why do there need to be any more than "token Caucasians" (which, by the way, nice turnaround of a phrase that's often used to describe the sparse [at best] presence of people of color in the majority of pop culture) in a show that is set in Africa and that employs many, many actors of color and has done so for more than 15 years? There don't need to be more roles for white people in the theatre, I think there are damn near enough.

Updated On: 10/20/13 at 03:23 AM

[Broadwaystar2]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 3:27am

Saycon was the STANBY! So do YOUR research! Not the same as BEING the role!