Jason Weaver, the singing voice for young Simba in the 1994 animated film The Lion King, defended Kim Kardashian and Ye's 10-year-old daughter North West after a video of her performing as Simba at the Hollywood Bowl riled social media users.
West was billed as a "special guest" of Disney’s The Lion King live-to-film concert held at the Bowl over Memorial Day weekend on May 24 and 25 alongside Jennifer Hudson.
The event celebrated the movie's 30th anniversary and featured appearances from cast members of the 1994 movie and the 2019 remake, including Billy Eichner, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Bradley Gibson, and Weaver.
Weaver welcomed West to the stage and announced her "Hollywood debut."
Outfitted in a yellow, furry, hooded sweatshirt with matching shorts and slippers, courtesy of ERL sportswear, she sang a gender-swapped rendition of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" alongside a live orchestra and dancers in animal costumes similar to the Broadway production.
Clips of her performance went viral and prompted harsh criticism from those objecting to the casting decision, with many citing nepotism and her privileged upbringing.
Users felt she didn't belong on the stage with the cast of seasoned talent.
The backlash was brutal.
In response to the backlash, Weaver posted a backstage photo with West ahead of the event's repeat performance on Saturday night and praised the young performer.
"What an honor it is to share the same stage with this young superstar in the making!! 😁⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m so PROUD you, North!!" he wrote in the caption.
The 44-year-old actor, also famous for portraying a preteen Michael Jackson in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, continued telling the youngster:
"You’re doing a such PHENOMENAL job in this show! I can’t wait for people to see your performance of 'I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” when “The Lion King 30th Anniversary Celebration” eventually starts streaming on @disneyplus!!"
"You’re a true professional, and I wish you nothing but the best as you continue your journey towards GREATNESS!!"
"Let’s run it back one more time for em tonight!! 😁🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💯💯💯💯"
Despite his supportive enthusiasm for West, Weaver's encouraging words failed to change the minds of discerning viewers.
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Recently, West was featured singing with dad Ye in his music video for his collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign on "Talking / Once Again."
In March, she announced the debut of her solo album Elementary School Dropout, a title that pays homage to Ye's 2004 debut studio album The College Dropout.
You can watch The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl when it streams on Disney+ in the near future.
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