The Lion King star Clifton Oliver dead at 47

Broadway mourned the loss of their very own actor, Clifton Oliver, who played the title role in The Lion King, Wicked, and In the Heights. He passed away on August 2, according to his sister Roxy Hall. He was 47.

"My baby brother, Clifton Oliver, has had his final curtain call," Hall posted to Facebook on the day of his death. "It was peaceful. His partner Richard, was singing to him the song Psalm 23 as he took his last breath this morning at 3:20 a.m. He had a Gorgeous smile on his Beautiful face!! He went twirling into the afterlife ready to make his Grand Appearance as the Star of his Homecoming Celebration! My heart is sad, and overjoyed at the same time! I will miss him, but he is finally at peace!"

At the time of his death, Oliver has been combating an unrevealed illness.

"He brought so much light to this world! He brought so much light to my life! He impacted the lives of people throughout the world as he showcased his amazing talent, kind soul, and loving spirit to EVERYONE he met! He will be missed, but never forgotten!" his sister continued. "He lives within all of us! As the song goes in one of his most prominent roles of Simba in TheLion King on Broadway, He Lives In Me!"

Hall also recalled her brother's final days. "I will value my time with him the last six weeks of his life that I spent at his bedside in the hospital and then finally hospice," she continued. "I was able to love on my baby brother, and I will always cherish the memories of having an honor and privilege to do just that! There will be more information to come, as we begin to plan the Celebration of Clifton Oliver!"

The Lion King show on Broadway also paid tribute to the late star on Instagram.

"'Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars,'" an Instagram post read, quoting the Disney movie, alongside a throwback photo of Oliver playing Simba. "Today, our Pride joins in remembering the legacy of the late Clifton Oliver, who shared his talents and light with audiences across Broadway, Las Vegas, and our North American tour from 2000-2011. As we continue to honor his legacy, a dimming of the lights will occur at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET."