Roger Allers, the acclaimed filmmaker and animator who co-directed Disney’s beloved 1994 classic The Lion King, has died at age 76 following a short illness, Disney confirmed. He passed away at his home in Santa Monica.
Disney CEO Bob Iger paid tribute, calling Allers “a creative visionary” whose work helped define a golden era of animation. “He understood the power of storytelling – how characters, emotion, and music come together to create something timeless,” Iger wrote.
Allers was a central figure in Disney’s animation renaissance. He worked on Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Rescuers Down Under, and The Prince and the Pauper before teaming with Rob Minkoff to direct The Lion King. The film became the highest-grossing traditionally animated movie of all time and won two Academy Awards.
He later helped adapt The Lion King for Broadway, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical as the production went on to win six Tonys, including Best Musical.
Producer and longtime collaborator David Bossert remembered Allers as “one of the kindest people you could hope to know,” praising his generosity, humility, and joyful spirit.
Allers continued his creative career with films such as The Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, Open Season, The Little Matchgirl, and The Prophet, based on the book by Kahlil Gibran.
Born in New York in 1949 and raised in Arizona, Allers built a career that shaped generations of animated storytelling.
He is survived by his two children, Leah and Aidan.
Roger Allers leaves behind a legacy of imagination, heart, and timeless storytelling that will continue to inspire audiences for years to come.