• Home
  • Mail
  • News
  • Finance
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Search
  • Mobile
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    • Mail
    Entertainment Home
    Follow Us
    • The It List
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Celebrity
    • Music
    • Live Celeb Chats
    • Videos
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    A 'Lion King' fan favorite was almost fired from the Disney classic

    Kevin Polowy
    Senior Correspondent, Yahoo Entertainment
    August 29, 2017

    Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella made fans around the world — as well as sweet music together — voicing wastrels Timon and Pumbaa, respectively, in Disney’s 1994 animated favorite The Lion King. But, according to co-director Rob Minkoff, one of those actors was almost jettisoned from the jungle during the film’s production.

    “We almost had to lose Ernie Sabella,” Minkoff told Yahoo Movies during a Facebook Live interview promoting the film’s new Signature Edition home release (watch above). “We did our first session, we cut it together, we played it and the jokes didn’t land.”

    “It wasn’t his fault, it was completely our fault. So after the meeting, the [executives] were disappointed about it, and said, ‘Maybe we should look to recast him.”

    Sabella, now 67, is a theatrically trained character actor who was better known for his work on Broadway and television than his film work at the time. He had appeared in some small capacity in virtually every ’80s show, including Newhart, Knots Landing, Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, Cheers, Benson, Perfect Strangers, Married… With Children, Mr. Belvedere, Quantu Leap, and Coach. He also memorably played Leon Carosi on the summer episodes of Saved by the Bell and “Naked Man” in Seinfeld.

    However, Minkoff was determined not to lose Sabella, given how well Lane and Sabella (then co-starring on Broadway in a hit revival of Guys and Dolls) played off of one other as the meerkat and warthog who duet on the film’s infectious “Hakuna Matata.”

    “I put in a pitch and said please give us a second chance, because I think he’s gonna be great, and Ernie and Nathan are so good together,” the filmmaker explained. “So they said, ‘OK, take another swing at it.’ And then the next scene that we played went over like gangbusters, and everybody realized that they were great together. So we almost lost him.”

    Another fun fact: Sabella ad-libbled Pumbaa’s flatulence, which became the creature’s signature.

    The Lion King‘s Signature Edition Blu-ray and Combo Pack is available Tuesday.

    Watch our full Facebook Live interview:

    Read more on Yahoo Movies:

    • ‘The Lion King’: Watch Exclusive Rare Footage of the Making of ‘Hakuna Matata’
    • ‘The Lion King’: Filmmakers, Cast Reveal Little-Known Facts, From Original Title to Elton’s Rejected Tunes
    • ‘Lion King’: Disney Unveils Jaw-Dropping First Footage at D23; Plus, ‘Dumbo,’ ‘Nutcracker’

     

    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    What to Read Next

    • Kristen Stewart Not ‘Gutted’ Over ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Box-Office Flop: ‘Dude, We Just Wanted to Have a Good Time’

      Indiewire
    • Lori Loughlin's attorneys argue feds are concealing evidence in college admissions scandal

      USA TODAY Entertainment
    • Kelly Ripa Jokes Daughter Lola, 18, Thinks Everything Her Mom Wears Is 'Embarrassing and Awful'

      People
    • Scarlett Johansson Jokes About Engagement to Colin Jost in Marvel-Themed 'SNL' Monologue

      Entertainment Tonight
    • ‘American Gods’ Actor Orlando Jones Says He Was Fired Because Mr. Nancy Is ‘Wrong Message for Black America’

      Variety
    • Pete Davidson Dissolves ‘SNL’ Players in Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Avengers’-Themed Monologue

      Variety
    • Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Claps Back at Hater Who Slams His Recovery Journey

      TheBlast
    • Spike Lee and Cher lead tributes to the late 'genius' Danny Aiello, who is dead at age 86

      Yahoo Movies
    • 'The Masked Singer:' Romance Between Thingamajig Celebrity Victor Oldaipo and Nicole Scherzinger May Come True

      TheBlast
    • John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John Dress Up as Danny and Sandy for First Time Since Grease

      People
    • Man Believes He May Be Child Who Went Missing 25 Years Ago, Gives DNA to Police

      People
    • Taylor Swift rings in her 30th birthday with Jingle Ball concert and cake decorated with cats

      Yahoo Celebrity
    • Jack Osbourne And His Kids Welcome The 'Latest Addition To Our Tribe' In Cute Photo

      TheBlast
    • Kim Kardashian Had Five Operations After Saint West’s Birth, Says Doctors Refused to Inseminate Her

      Entertainment Tonight
    • Jade Roper Tolbert Says 'Tiny' 4-Month-Old Son Brooks Is 'Aching for Food and Nutrition'

      People
    • 'My Big Fat Fabulous Life' Star Whitney Claps Back at Troll After Bathtub Pics

      TheBlast

    Trump impeachment: Lindsey Graham will 'not pretend to be a fair juror'

    MtnBrkr: Drag it out into the summer. Get all the actors and participants testifying under oath. Time to clean house.

    Join the Conversation
    1 / 5

    3.4k

    • Isla Fisher Posts Shirtless Clip of Sacha Baron Cohen: ‘He’s Worked So Hard Transforming’

      People
    • Jamie Foxx Spotted Hanging With Comedian Natalie Friedman On Private Jet Following Katie Holmes Split

      TheBlast
    • Tekashi 6ix9ine's Girlfriend Jade Tells Judge He Is Nothing Like "Internet Portrayed Him To Be"

      TheBlast
    • 'Counting On' Star Anna Duggar Shares Photo Of Her Baby, And Fans Think She Has Jaundice

      TheBlast
    • Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Is Still Facing 37 YEARS Behind Bars

      TheBlast
    • ‘Saturday Night Live’ Parodies ‘A Marriage Story’ with Kellyanne Conway (Watch)

      Variety
    • Meghan King Edmonds Responds to Concern Over Her 'Too Thin' Appearance: 'I'm a Stress Non-Eater'

      People
    • Sophia Hutchins Says She and Caitlyn Jenner 'Were Never Romantically Involved'

      People
    • Colin Firth splits from wife Livia after 22 years of marriage

      Yahoo Celebrity
    • Trans teen Jazz Jennings rocks one-piece swimsuit for first time after gender confirmation surgery

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • 'Wheel of Fortune's' Vanna White Gives Update On Alex Trebek's Cancer Battle

      TheBlast
    • Lori Harvey Spotted In LA After Boyfriend Future's Alleged Baby Mamas Drop DNA Test Results

      TheBlast
    • Daniel Radcliffe Clarifies the 'Sparks' Between His 'Harry Potter' Costars: 'We Were Like, 12'

      Meredith Videos
    • Paris Hilton Responds to Kim Kardashian Saying Paris Gave Her a Career | Streamys 2019

      Entertainment Tonight Videos
    • Russell Simmons and 50 Cent Slam Oprah Winfrey for Upcoming Documentary on Abuse in the Music Industry

      Entertainment Tonight
    • Octopus Catches Eagle and Tries to Drown It in Crazy Video — Then Farmers Intervene

      People