Video: Watch Gavin Lee Join THE LION KING on Broadway as 'Scar'
Lee is fresh off his run in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends on Broadway.
By: Michael Major Jul. 23, 2025
Gavin Lee has made it to Pride Rock! The Tony nominee has officially joined the cast of The Lion King on Broadway as "Scar." Fresh off his run in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends on Broadway, Lee replaces former cast member Stephen Carlile, who departed the production earlier this year to star as Hades in Disney’s new production of Hercules in the West End.
In addition to Hollick as Scar, The Lion King principal company currently includes Tshidi Manye (Rafiki), L. Steven Taylor (Mufasa), Blakely Slaybaugh (Zazu), Ben Jeffrey (Pumbaa), Fred Berman (Timon), Vincent Jamal Hooper (Simba), Pearl Khwezi (Nala), James Brown-Orleans (Banzai), Bonita J. Hamilton (Shenzi), Robb Sapp (Ed), Leela Chopra (Young Nala at certain performances), Juliana Martinez (Young Nala at certain performances), Jacob Pham (Young Simba at certain performances) and Albert Rhodes (Young Simba at certain performances).
About Gavin Lee
This is Gavin’s third Disney production. He originated the role of Bert in the West End and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins (for which he was Olivier and Tony Award-nominated as well as winning a Drama Desk and Theatre World Award). He also played Lumière in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the London Palladium. Gavin has just finished performing alongside Bernadette Peters in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends in London’s West End and on Broadway. Before this he could be seen performing the role of Thenadier in the first world arena tour of Les Miserables, a role he previously played on Broadway. He originated the role of Squidward Q. Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants (where he received a Tony Award nomination and won the Drama Desk Award). While in NYC, Gavin has also appeared at Carnegie Hall in Show Boat, at Madison Square Garden as The Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and in the world premiere of Holiday Inn at Goodspeed Opera House. His other London credits include leading roles in Top Hat, Crazy For You, Peggy Sue Got Married, A Saint She Ain’t. Also Me and My Girl, Over My Shoulder, Oklahoma! and Contact. His regional theatre credits include Singin’ in the Rain, Snoopy!, Noel Coward’s Masterpieces, Of Thee I Sing, Saturday Night, Alan Ayckbourn’s Whenever and Chicago.
About The Lion King
Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Produced by Disney Theatrical Group, under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart and Thomas Schumacher, The Lion King has made theatrical history with two productions worldwide running 20 or more years and three others running 25 or more years.
Performed over its lifetime in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), there are currently nine productions of The Lion King around the world: Broadway, Toronto, London, Paris, Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo, Mexico City and on tour across North America. The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 24 countries on every continent except Antarctica; its worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.
The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical. The Lion King has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.
Director, Costume Designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical, remains actively involved in the show, launching new productions and maintaining the flagship Broadway production.
The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from The Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from "Rhythm of the Pride Lands," an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging from the Academy Award-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to Lebo M’s rich choral numbers.
Elton John, Lebo M and Hans Zimmer all collaborated on the 2019 version of the film, executive produced by Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher, which has gone onto extraordinary worldwide success.
The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay. Other members of the creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor), Lisa Dawn Cave (production supervisor), Thomas Schlenk (general manager) and ARC / Mark Brandon, CSA (casting). Anne Quart serves as executive producer.
