Broadway veteran Ernie Sabella's infectious charm will keep captivating audiences. He is set to sing in the 30th-anniversary concert presentation of 'The Lion King' on May 24 and 25 at the Hollywood Bowl in California.
Thirty years have passed since Sabella first voiced the carefree warthog Pumbaa in the beloved animated film.
"I call it my nature of positivity, but I guess you could call it 'Hakuna Matata,' Sabella laughs from the sunny corner of the Las Vegas, Nevada, café he has ensconced himself, a cannoli in hand. "People simply appreciate having me around."
Disney is assembling a mix of familiar and fresh faces for 'The Lion King' at The Hollywood Bowl. The cast includes North West, Heather Headley, Jeremy Irons, Jason Weaver, Bradley Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, and Lebo M.
The special will also be available to stream on Disney+ at a later date.
"That was the kind of year you dream about," Sabella says proudly. "You can't do better than that year."
Over the years, he has repeatedly returned to his role as the voice of Pumbaa. This includes the four-year, eighty-five-episode TV series 'Timon & Pumbaa' in the 1990s.
The stage veteran shared that being able to voice Pumbaa and lift the spirits of youth from different generations has been an amazing privilege for him.
Furthermore, he said he did not realize the extent of his influence on someone's life until the advent of the internet. After all, he was also a kid inspired by 'The Wonderful World of Disney' while watching it with his mother on the couch.
