{
  "id": 13056970,
  "title": "Disney offered a 13-year-old $2 million to sing in The Lion King—his mom took $100k plus royalties instead. He’s still getting paid 32 years later",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/disney-offered-a-13-year-old-2-million-to-sing-in-the-lion-king-his",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/10/09/disney-offered-13-year-old-2-million-to-sing-in-the-lion-king-mom-rejected-royalties-jason-weaver-simba/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1994, 13-year-old Jason Weaver was offered a staggering $2 million by Disney to play young Simba in The Lion King. However, his mother Marilyn \"Kitty\" Haywood declined the offer, instead negotiating for royalties and around $100,000 upfront. Weaver now 47 years old, continues to receive payments from The Lion King decades later and has amassed a net worth estimated between $4 million and $7 million.",
  "summary": "Jason Weaver's mom once backed Aretha Franklin. She bet on royalties over Disney's cash—and it's paid more than the $2 million he gave up",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}