Samuel E. Wright, who voiced Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid,” has died, according to multiple reports. He was 74.
“Sam was an inspiration to us all and along with his family established the Hudson Valley Conservatory,” reads a Facebook post from his hometown of Montgomery, New York. “Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. 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. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love.”
Wright was born in Camden, South Carolina, in 1946.
He made his way into the entertainment world when he joined the original Broadway cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1971.
Wright went on to originate the roles of William in “The Tap Dance Kid” in which he was nominated in 1984 for a Tony Award for best-featured actor in a musical.
“Sebastian has given me what I've always wanted as an actor, and that's immortality."
A second Tony nomination followed in 1998 for his role as Mufasa in “The Lion King,” the Broadway version of Disney’s 1994 film.
But he was best known for voicing the crab Sebastian, Ariel’s pal, in “The Little Mermaid.” Wright’s performance of “Under the Sea” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1989.
“Sebastian has given me what I’ve always wanted as an actor, and that’s immortality,” Wright told Entertainment Weekly in 1991.
About the Author
