By 
Moving tributes for a talented individual who will be missed.
Roger Allers, co-director of Disney’s 1994 animated blockbuster, “The Lion King,” and co-writer of its hit Broadway musical, for which he received a Tony Award nomination, died Saturday (January 17, 2026) at his home in Santa Monica, California. He was 76 years old. The exact cause of death is pending. He is survived by his husband, Genaro Pereira, and his two children, Leah Allers, an actress and filmmaker, and son, Aidan Allers.
Allers played a major role in defining the Disney Animation renaissance of the ‘80s and ‘90s with his direction, story and creative contributions to such films as “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “TRON,” among others. He also directed the 2006 Oscar® nominated animated short, “The Little Matchgirl.” His directing credits outside of Disney include “Open Season” (2006) for Sony Pictures Animation, and the 2014 independent feature, “The Prophet,” based on the writings of Kahlil Gibran.
REMEMBERING ROGER: TRIBUTES FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
THE ALLERS FAMILY
“Anyone who knew Roger, loved Roger. His spirit shone like a thousand suns, and anywhere his light touched, the world was a better place. Every life he touched was blessed by his never-ending joy, his spirit, and his energy. We are absolutely devastated, heartbroken, and in shock. There will never be another Roger Allers.”
SIR TIM RICE
AWARD-WINNING LYRICIST/ “LION KING” COLLABORATOR
“I met Roger Allers when working on the original Lion King animated movie which he co-directed with skill, warmth and humour, this latter quality being one of the main reasons we remained good friends for over 30 years. I shall never forget his wonderful laugh, laid back wit and superb artwork adorning so many of his letters and cards. Gone too soon but never to be forgotten.”
THOMAS SCHUMACHER
ORIGINAL PRODUCER OF “THE LION KING ON BROADWAY” AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE 1994 FILM
“The shocking news about Roger Allers has broken so many hearts. It’s impossible to properly recap his gifts to the global community who have seen, mostly unknowingly, his remarkable work. His contribution to The Lion King on screen and on stage is immeasurable. Along with his extraordinary story and visual sense was a deep-rooted commitment to bringing the voice of South Africa to the film – which was then substantially expanded in the stage version.”
DON HAHN
PRODUCER OF “THE LION KING;” DISNEY LEGEND, AND AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER
“Every once in a while, life puts someone in our path who helps us see more clearly. Roger was that person for me, and for so many of us who worked with him. He was the rarest of people: endlessly curious, playful, and deeply human, always eager to tell stories that reminded us of the wonder in life. He lives on in his work, and in the hearts of all of us who were lucky enough to know him.
IRENE MECCHI
CO-WRITER OF “THE LION KING” FILM, AND BOOK CO-WRITER WITH ROGER ON THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL
“Roger was a joy to collaborate with… so much fun when we visited far-flung cities where a new production was launching. Roger was one of the very few who always lived in the moment. He was a true artist, a wit and a poet, a rare combination we were all so fortunate to experience. His passing is such a profound loss to all of us.”
LEBO M
GRAMMY AWARD® WINNING COMPOSER/SONGWRITER, AND “VOICE AND SPIRIT” OF “THE LION KING”
“Every time I was with Rog, I felt a bit more alive… Roger’s always been the most authentic. He is a global icon.”
BOB IGER
CEO, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
“Roger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come. 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.”
ROGER ALLERS – OFFICIAL OBITUARY
Born in Rye, New York on June 29, 1949, and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Allers dreamed of pursuing a career in animation by the age of five, when he first saw the Disney animated classic, “Peter Pan.” He thought his childhood dream of working with Walt Disney was over with Walt’s death in 1966, but his studies at Arizona State University, (where he received a Fine Arts degree), and a class at Harvard University reawakened his ambitions. Allers expanded his world view while traveling in Crete, where he met Leslee Hackenson, his wife and mother of his two children.
Allers began his animation career when he accepted a job working with a fledgling animation director, named Steven Lisberger, whose projects included Sesame Street and The Electric Company, along with various commercials. In 1978, he relocated from Boston to Los Angeles with Lisberger Studios, where he contributed story, character design, and animation to a film called “Animalympics.”
In 1980, Allers worked as a concept designer on the groundbreaking computer-animated feature, “TRON,” and his artwork was instrumental in the pitch that sold the idea for the film to Disney. He next worked as an animator on “Rock & Rule” at Nelvana Limited in Toronto, followed by the 1989 anime film, “Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland,” at TMS Studio, in Tokyo, as a story artist.
Allers joined Walt Disney Animation Studios fulltime in 1985, as Head of Story on “Oliver & Company.” This was the start of his incredible journey at the Studio that would result in some of the greatest successes in Disney history, and a new period of innovation and interest in animated films. He quickly proved himself to be an invaluable member of the story team for such important films as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Rescuers Down Under,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” for which he supervised the story team in his role as Head of Story.
In 1991, Allers was tapped to lend his story expertise to a Disney project called “King of the Jungle.” He and the creative team traveled to Kenya on a research trip. It was there where he first learned the African phrase, “Hakuna Matata,” and later pitched it to Tim Rice as a song idea in a story meeting. Allers was promoted to director of the film, along with fellow Disney animator, Rob Minkoff. With music by Sir Elton John and lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a stellar production team, headed by producer Don Hahn, the film became the top-grossing feature at the global box office for 1994. It held the title of box office king and was the all-time biggest animated feature for ten years, until 2004. “The Lion King” remains one of the most beloved animated features in Disney history, and the success of the film launched a multibillion-dollar franchise for the Walt Disney Company.
For the 1997 debut of the stage musical adaptation of “The Lion King,” Disney Theatrical Group, under the creative direction of Thomas Schumacher and Peter Schneider, teamed Allers with original “Lion King” screenwriter Irene Mecchi (who wrote the film along with Linda Woolverton and Jonathan Roberts) to write the libretto. The show debuted at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, to critical acclaim and sensational box office returns. The stage production of “The Lion King” went on to win six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) in 1998, and continues to play to huge crowds all over the world. The show stands as the most successful theater production of all time, continues to play to capacity crowds all over the world, and holds the distinction of being the top-earning entertainment title (film or stage) in history.
Following “The Lion King,” Allers devoted his time and talent to developing an animated project called “Kingdom of the Sun.” The film went through a challenging development process, and he eventually chose to leave the project. It evolved into the 2000 Disney release, “The Emperor’s New Groove,” which has become a fan favorite, and still owes much of its origins to Allers’ contributions.
In recent years, Allers was working on an original stage musical called “The Grasshopper” based on the colorful life and legend of storyteller Jean de la Fontaine. Allers wrote the book and lyrics in collaboration with his husband, acclaimed composer and concert pianist Genaro Pereira, who wrote the music. The show has had several workshop readings including a 2023 performance in Los Angeles.
Allers’ daughter, Leah, is in production on a documentary about Roger, which will highlight the life and work of her father during the Disney Renaissance of the ‘80s and ‘90s. In addition to Leah and Genaro, Allers is survived by his son, Aidan, and the mother of his children, Leslee Hackenson.
Roger Allers will be laid to rest at the Woodlawn Cemetary, at 1847 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The family is making plans for a life celebration, which will be announced at a future date.
