North West, the oldest child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, has been making waves on TikTok for a little while now, but she recently appeared on stage for a major performance. The 10-year-old took part in a two-day performance of The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl, where she played the role of Simba. Since West’s turn as the iconic Disney character, people have taken to social media to share their takes on her performance. Many have taken issue with the fact that the pre-teen was tapped for the part. Now, Jason Weaver – who lent his vocals to the fictional young lion in the original film – is weighing in.
While Jonathan Taylor Thomas provided the speaking voice for young Simba in the 1994 classic (which can be streamed with the Disney+ subscription), Jason Weaver provided his singing voice. The former child actor notably performed "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and “Hakuna Matata." Weaver was one of several original cast members from the movie who took part in the production at the Hollywood Bowl. Sometime after the first show, he took to his Instagram to share a photo featuring him alongside North West. And, with his caption, he praised the young lady for her work as the lead character:
What an honor it is to share the same stage with this young superstar in the making!! 😁⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m so PROUD you, North!! You’re doing a such PHENOMENAL job in this show! I can’t wait for people to see your performance of ‘I Just Can’t Wait To Be King’ when ‘The Lion King 30th Anniversary Celebration’ eventually starts streaming on [Disney+]!! You’re a true professional, and I wish you nothing but the best as you continue your journey towards GREATNESS!! Let’s run it back one more time for em tonight!! 😁🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💯💯💯💯
It sounds like the Chi cast member was truly impressed by the Kardashians alum’s chops. That’s some serious praise coming from a cast member of one of the greatest animated movies released before Best Animated Feature was introduced by the Oscars. You can check out the former’s full post below, which includes the aforementioned photo of the two sporting big smiles:
Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event took place on May 24 and 25 and featured performances from several of the franchise’s cast members. Other OGs who joined Jason Weaver were Jeremy Irons (Scar), Nathan Lane (Timon) and Ernie Sabella (Pumbaa). As for North West, she notably performed "I Just Can't Wait to Be King,” while wearing her own attire – a yellow and furry hooded ensemble. Responses to her work have been a mixed bag, with @_RichieDinero and others viewing the rendition and lackluster and arguing how nepotism played into West’s hiring. Meanwhile, @xodaniegirlxo along with additional fans have come to West’s defense.
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The budding social media influencer has seen her profile rising in recent years due to her TikTok videos, some of which show her trolling mom Kim Kardashian. She’s also had her share of musical moments, as she’s performed with her rapper father on occasion and was even once pulled on stage by Katy Perry.
As alluded to in Jason Weaver’s post North West turn as Simba will be viewable once the show begins streaming. It’s yet to be confirmed just when the musical production will be available to access on the platform. While not a definite possibility, there is a chance that others might chime in on West’s work once they’re able to see it in the comfort of their homes. No matter what’s said about it, though, the general public can’t take Weaver’s glowing endorsement away from her.
While you wait for The Lion King 30th Anniversary: A Live-to-Film Concert Event to become available, stream the best movies on Disney+, which are composed of a few musicals and concert films. You can also watch North West’s exploits by streaming The Kardashians with a Hulu subscription.
