Jason Raize

Jason Raize (July 20, 1975 – February 3, 2004), legally Jason Raize Rothenberg, was an American film and stage actor that is best known for originating the role of Adult Simba in The Lion King on Broadway.

Raize started acting as a teenager, and moved to New York City when he enrolled in the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He acted in several regional productions including Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music. Soon after, he played Pilate in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

He premiered on Broadway as Adult Simba in The Lion King in 1997, and remained in the show for three years. In 1999, he was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations.

After his work in The Lion King, Raize hosted his own nature show called Keeping it Wild with Jason Raize until 2002, and voiced the character Denahi in Brother Bear.

In 2003, Raize moved to Australia. He had spent time there while working on Keeping it Wild… and, as his stepmother Sarah MacArthur stated, “There was some kind of nice connection he had with Australia.‘’ He stayed with many friends over the year, finally taking a job as a farm hand in Yass, New South Wales.

However, on February 3, 2004, Raize hanged himself, leaving behind stunned family, friends, and fans. A memorial service was held at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, where The Lion King was staged. Heather Headley (the original Adult Nala) and the cast performed, and a South African traditional celebration was held.