‘The Lion King’ Legend Dies at 76: RIP to Roger Allers

Oscar- and Tony-nominated director Roger Allers, best known for his work on The Lion King, has died. He was 76.

Allers died suddenly on Saturday at his home in Santa Monica following a short illness, a Disney Animation spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.

Allers’ frequent collaborator, Dave Bossert, confirmed the news of his friend and colleague’s death Sunday morning, writing in a Facebook post, “I am deeply saddened by the news that our friend Roger Allers has passed on to his next journey.”

Bossert went on to praise Allers as “an extraordinarily gifted artist and filmmaker” as well as “a true pillar of the Disney Animation renaissance.”

“I had the privilege of being part of the crew with Roger on many films in the late ’80s and throughout the ’90s,” wrote Bossert. “And he was, without question, one of the kindest people you could hope to know and work alongside. He went on to co-direct The Lion King, a phenomenal success, yet it never went to his head.”

Allers “treated everyone with genuine kindness and respect,” regardless of their role, Bossert continued, adding that his late friend “carried a sense of wonder, generosity, and enthusiasm that lifted everyone around him.”

“Roger had a joyful, luminous spirit, and the world is dimmer without him,” he concluded. “Rest in peace, my friend. Until we meet again on the other side.”

Allers was born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York, and went on to receive a fine arts degree from Arizona State University.

Before making his directorial debut on 1994’s The Lion King alongside co-director Rob Minkoff, Allers worked on Disney animated classics including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Oliver and Company and Rescuers Down Under in addition to 1982’s Tron.

Allers was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for 2006’s The Little Matchgirl, and in 1998, he received a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical for his work adapting The Lion King‘s screenplay for the Broadway musical alongside Irene Mecchi.

Allers’ other credits include Watership Down, The Bugs Bunny/Road-Runner Movie, Return to Never Land, Open Season, The Prophet, Ted, Back to the Jurassic and Ted 2.

“Roger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come,” Disney CEO Bob Iger shared in a statement to Deadline. “He understood the power of great storytelling — how unforgettable characters, emotion and music can come together to create something timeless. His work helped define an era of animation that continues to inspire audiences around the world, and we are deeply grateful for everything he gave to Disney. Our hearts are with his family, friends and collaborators.”

Allers is survived by his children, Leah and Aidan, and his partner, Genaro.