The world is saying goodbye to one of the quiet architects of childhood magic.
Roger Allers, the visionary filmmaker and animator whose work helped define a golden era of animation, has passed away at the age of 76. Disney confirmed that Allers died suddenly at his home in Santa Monica following a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy that shaped generations of storytellers and moviegoers alike.
For many people, his work is inseparable from memory itself. Long before audiences understood who directed or animated their favorite films, they felt the emotional weight of his storytelling. Allers was best known for co-directing The Lion King alongside Rob Minkoff, a film that became far more than a box office success. Released in 1994, it earned nearly $1 billion during its original theatrical run, became the highest-grossing film of that year, and still holds the record as the highest-grossing traditionally animated movie ever made. With more than 55 million home video copies sold worldwide, it embedded itself permanently into global pop culture.
But Allers’ journey into animation began long before lions ruled the Pride Lands. Born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York, he discovered his love for animation early and went on to study fine arts at Arizona State University. That foundation led him into Disney during a period when animation was reinventing itself, and Allers quickly became part of the creative force behind some of the studio’s most iconic films.