Believe it or not, when Disney was putting together the masterpiece that became the 1994 version of The Lion King, they didn't just hire one person to voice the king of the Pride Lands. They hired four.
Most people can rattle off the name Matthew Broderick when you ask who plays Simba in The Lion King 1994. He’s the guy who gave the adult Simba that perfect mix of "I'm a lost soul" and "I'm actually a majestic king." But if you really dig into the credits, the story of who voiced this lion gets way more complicated—and a lot more interesting. It wasn't just about finding a good actor; it was about finding the right vibe for a cub who loses his father and a man who has to find his way home.
The Face of a 90s Heartthrob: Young Simba
If you were alive in the mid-90s, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He was the "it" kid, the star of Home Improvement, and basically the face of every teen magazine on the rack. Disney knew they needed a kid who sounded "scrappy." They auditioned dozens of child actors, but JTT had this natural energy that just worked.
Honestly, he didn't even have to change his voice much. He just brought his own "mischievous kid" personality to the recording booth. Interestingly enough, the directors didn't go easy on him just because he was a kid. To get the sounds of Simba being chased by wildebeests or falling down chutes in the elephant graveyard, they actually had to "rough him up" a bit at the microphone—making him run in place or shaking him around to get that out-of-breath, panicked sound.
But Wait, Who Was Doing the Singing?
Here is where the "who plays Simba in The Lion King 1994" question gets a little tricky. While Jonathan Taylor Thomas was doing all the talking for the young cub, he wasn't the one singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."
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That was Jason Weaver.
Weaver had just come off playing a young Michael Jackson in a TV miniseries, and Elton John—who was writing the music for the film—personally vouched for him. There’s a legendary Hollywood story here: Disney originally offered Weaver $2 million upfront for the role. His mom, who knew the industry inside and out, told him to turn it down. She insisted on a smaller upfront fee (about $100k) plus royalties.
That move was genius. Decades later, Weaver has made way more than that original $2 million because The Lion King just never stops making money.
Adult Simba: The Ferris Bueller Connection
When Simba grows up and meets Timon and Pumbaa, his voice shifts to Matthew Broderick. At the time, Broderick was already a huge star thanks to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
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Funny enough, when Broderick first saw the sketches and heard the pitch, he genuinely thought Disney was doing an American remake of a Japanese cartoon called Kimba the White Lion. He just assumed it was the same thing and rolled with it. He brought a certain vulnerability to the role that made Simba’s hesitation to return home feel real, rather than just lazy.
But just like the young version of the character, Broderick didn’t do the singing for the adult Simba either.
The Voice of Toto (Yes, Really)
When you hear Simba singing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," you aren't hearing Matthew Broderick. You’re hearing Joseph Williams. If that name sounds familiar to classic rock fans, it should. Joseph Williams was the lead singer for the band Toto (though he actually joined the band after their hit "Africa" was released).
So, to recap the "who plays Simba in The Lion King 1994" roster:
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- Young Simba (Speaking): Jonathan Taylor Thomas
- Young Simba (Singing): Jason Weaver
- Adult Simba (Speaking): Matthew Broderick
- Adult Simba (Singing): Joseph Williams
Why Did They Split the Voices?
It seems kind of extra to hire four different people for one character, right? But in the early 90s, Disney was obsessed with vocal perfection. They wanted actors who could deliver the emotional weight of the dialogue but needed professional-grade singers to handle the massive Broadway-style numbers Elton John and Tim Rice were writing.
Broderick was actually a trained Broadway singer, but for whatever reason—either he didn't feel the songs fit his range or the producers wanted a specific "pop" sound—they went with Williams. It created this weirdly seamless blend where most kids watching the movie never even realized the voice changed when the music started.
What Happened to the Cast?
People always wonder where these guys ended up. Matthew Broderick is still a staple on Broadway and in film. Jonathan Taylor Thomas eventually stepped away from the spotlight to attend Harvard and Columbia, choosing a more private life, which is pretty rare for a child star of his level. Jason Weaver is still working and, thanks to those royalties, living very comfortably.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the legacy of these performances, your best bet is to check out the "Making of The Lion King" documentaries often found in the "Extras" section on Disney+. Seeing a young JTT and Matthew Broderick in the recording booth really changes how you watch the movie next time.
You can also look up Joseph Williams' work with Toto to see just how much of a powerhouse the adult singing voice really was. Understanding the layers behind the character makes that final roar on Pride Rock hit just a little bit harder.