Theater News

The Lion King Welcomes New Actors in the Roles of Young Simba and Young Nala

Caleb Beltran and Julius-Raymond Weems IV join the company as Young Simba and McKenzie Sherie Lewis and Emma Origenes will play Young Nala.

Linda Buchwald

Linda Buchwald

| Broadway |

August 19, 2025

Julius-Raymond Weems IV
Julius-Raymond Weems IV

The Lion King on Broadway will welcome Caleb Beltran (Sesame Street/PBS Kids Together We Can) and Julius-Raymond Weems IV (MJ the Musical) as Young Simba and McKenzie Sherie Lewis and Emma Origenes (Frozen national tour) as Young Nala starting tonight, August 19.

The current principal company also includes Gavin Lee as Scar, Tshidi Manye as Rafiki, L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa, Blakely Slaybaugh as Zazu, Ben Jeffrey as Pumbaa, Fred Berman as Timon, Vincent Jamal Hooper as Simba, Pearl Khwezi as Nala, James Brown-Orleans as Banzai, Bonita J. Hamilton as Shenzi, and Robb Sapp as Ed.

Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997. Director, costume designer, and mask co-designer Julie Taymor was the first woman to win a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical. Based on the 1994 Disney animated film, the musical features a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi and a score by Elton John and Tim Rice with additional musical material by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer.

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