The world has lost a Disney icon. Roger Allers, co-director of The Lion King and a visionary animator, has passed at 76.
His magic on screen shaped childhoods and inspired generations of storytellers.
Most of us have grown up watching Disney’s The Lion King, a beloved classic cherished by generations. But now, heartbreaking news comes about one of the creative minds behind this timeless story.
Roger Allers, the visionary filmmaker and animation master behind several Disney classics, has passed away at the age of 76, Disney confirmed.
Allers, whose career helped define a golden era of animation, died suddenly at his home in Santa Monica on Saturday following a brief illness, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York, Allers discovered his passion for animation at a young age.
He went on to earn a fine arts degree from Arizona State University, laying the foundation for a career that would bring some of the most beloved characters in cinematic history to life.
He is best known for co-directing the 1994 juggernaut The Lion King alongside Rob Minkoff. The film became a worldwide sensation, earning nearly $979 million in its original theatrical run — making it the highest-grossing film of that year.
It remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film ever and holds the record as the best-selling movie on home video, with over 55 million copies sold worldwide.
Allers also adapted the story for Broadway with Irene Mecchi, earning a Tony nomination in 1998 for Best Book of a Musical.
Before The Lion King, Allers contributed to a string of Disney classics, including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Oliver & Company, and The Rescuers Down Under.
He also helped shape the groundbreaking 1982 film Tron, one of the first features to extensively use CGI.
Disney CEO Bob Iger paid tribute to Allers on Instagram, calling him “a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come.” Iger added, “He understood the power of great storytelling — how unforgettable characters, emotion and music can come together to create something timeless.
His work helped define an era of animation that continues to inspire audiences around the world, and we are deeply grateful for everything he gave to Disney. Our hearts are with his family, friends and collaborators.”
Allers’ talents extended far beyond Disney. He co-directed the animated Open Season for Sony Studios in 2006 and wrote and directed the animated adaptation of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet in 2015. That same year, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film for The Little Matchgirl.
His earlier work includes Watership Down, The Bugs Bunny/Road-Runner Movie, Return to Never Land, Ted, Ted 2, and Back to the Jurassic, showcasing a career that spanned decades and genres.
Allers is survived by his children, Leah and Aidan, and his partner, Genaro.
Lion King producer Don Hahn shared a heartfelt tribute: “Every once in a while, life puts someone in our path who helps us see more clearly. Roger was that person for me, and for so many of us who worked with him. He was the rarest of people: endlessly curious, playful and deeply human, always eager to tell stories that reminded us of the wonder in life. He lives on in his work, and in the hearts of all of us who were lucky enough to know him.”
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