Sebastian ‘Little Mermaid’ Actor Samuel E. Wright Dead at 74

The actor famous for voicing Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, Samuel E. Wright, has died. TMZ reported Tuesday that Wright died at the age of 74. His hometown of Montgomery, New York, broke the news on Facebook by sharing a special message in which they reflected on the late actor’s life. The statement did not reveal Wright’s cause of death.

“Sam was an inspiration to us all and along with his family established the Hudson Valley Conservatory,” their statement began. “Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”

Wright’s most well-known role came in 1989 when he voiced Sebastian for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He showcased his vocals on two of the movie’s most famous songs, “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.” Both of those songs were nominated for Best Music, Original Song at the 1990 Academy Awards ceremony. “Under the Sea’ ended up taking home the win. Wright would go on to voice the iconic character in numerous projects including Little Mermaid’s Island, The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, and the Little Mermaid television series. In addition to his connection to that Disney classic, Wright also originated the role of Mufasa in The Lion King musical on Broadway.

Back in 2013, Wright, alongside several of the other actors who voiced the characters in The Little Mermaid, took part in an interview with Glamour about the film. While reflecting on the movie and the filming process, Wright explained that the finished project was nothing short of magical, as is the Disney way. He said, in part, “We all felt that need to do the best we possibly could, and because we were actors and not just voice talent, we knew how to bring that to our work and left it up to the talent of some great animators. I don’t think we could ever recapture that again the way that happened. I think that’s why it lasted because it’s got that magic to it — literally that Disney magic.”