Disney Adventures Magazine (July 30, 1994)

The Real Roar: Behind The Lion King

By H. Brooke Primero & Liz Smith

July 30, 1994 | Volume 04 Number 10

Think of making movies and you probably imagine a big set with a director yelling “Action!” But in animated movies, there isn’t a movie camera in sight. The “set” is a drawing table or computer, and the “actors” sit in a recording studio to tape the voices for the characters you see on screen. What’s it like “acting” in an animated movie? D.A. got the scoop from the people behind the voices.

YOUNG SIMBA — JONATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS

D.A.: Did you go to the zoo to learn to roar?

Jonathan: Yes, I spent years with animals [laughing].

D.A.: We thought so.

Jonathan: Actually, they recorded some real lions’ roars, but the roars were too strong, ‘cause Simba’s little. So they had me come in with my wimpy roar, thank you very much.

D.A.: Any other weird noises?

Jonathan: There’s this one part where I’m in an elephant graveyard, and I’m sliding down an elephant’s backbone. My back bumps against all the vertebrae, so the studio guys beat on my back [to make the noise].

D.A.: Did that hurt?

Jonathan: Yes, I took some abuse. The studio guys, who are the nicest guys in the world, had to shake me up. It was a lot of fun.

D.A.: Do you get into mischief like Simba?

Jonathan: Yeah, but I quickly backpedal and say I didn’t do it. I like to have a good time and sometimes I’ll get into mischief. I think I’m a lot like Simba—active, always wanting to explore, curious. 

D.A.: Anything funny happen while recording?

Jonathan: There’s the tragedy scene where I had to yell, “Dad!” The people directing me wanted me to reach deeper and get a real “Dad!” Scream. So, my mom’s sitting across the room, and they tell me to pretend that my mom’s falling to her death…I was so into my mom falling, I got ready to record and I screamed, “Mom!” Oops! That was pretty embarrassing. I was laughing so hard, I fell off my chair!