'Lion King' co-director Roger Allers passes away at 76

Entertainment Jan 19, 2026

Roger Allers, who co-directed Disney's beloved The Lion King, has died at 76.
Disney Animation confirmed his passing, and CEO Bob Iger called him "a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come."

Who was Roger Allers?

Allers started his animation journey in Los Angeles and Toronto, later worked in Tokyo, and joined/started at Disney in 1982 (he got his start on Tron in 1982).
He worked on storyboards for Tron and helped shape classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
In 1994, he co-directed The Lion King—which became a worldwide hit—and later co-wrote its Tony-winning Broadway adaptation.
Colleagues remember him as both a gifted artist and one of the kindest people in the industry.