Disney actor and singer, Samuel E Wright dies at 74

The Little Mermaid actor, Samuel E Wright, has died at the age of 74. The actor played Sebastian the crab in the Disney classic. He also sang Under the Sea, which won the film an Oscar.

His death was confirmed by the town of Montgomery, New York. This was the place where Wright had founded a cultural center with his family. His daughter also confirmed his death.

The town wrote: “On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with.”

Early life

Wright, who was born in 1946 in Camden, South Carolina, United States. He was a member of the original Broadway ensemble of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971.

He then replaced Ben Vereen in the musical Pippin. After this, he got a Tony Awards nomination for The Tap Dance Kid in 1984.

Wright played the patois-speaking crab Sebastian in The Little Mermaid and sang the Oscar-winning song Under The Sea from the 1989 animated film. In a past interview, Wright said: “Sebastian has given me what I’ve always wanted as an actor, and that’s immortality.”

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s why I’m in the business. I want the whole world to love me, remember me forever.” He added.

In 1998, he received a second Tony nomination for his performance as King Mufasa in the stage adaption of Disney’s 1994 blockbuster The Lion King. Wright went on to play Mufasa again in the original Broadway production of The Lion King.

Samuel E Wright also played jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie in Clint Eastwood’s Bird. The city of New York honoured him with a billboard commemorating his passing.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the author of Hamilton, named his firstborn son Sebastian after Wright’s character.

Wright died on Monday at his home in Walden, New York, after a three-year struggle with prostate cancer.