Jason Weaver, the singing voice behind the young simba in the Disney original film The Lion King explains why he had turned down the offer of $2 million dollars at the time when he was a teenager. He had been offered the hefty money at that time back in the year of 1994 film for his work.
It was a big leap for him from receiving $80k dollars for his role as Micheal Jackson in TV mini-series The Jacksons: An American Dream. The famous actor and singer explained the reason in an interview to Vlad TV as to why he declined the offer of such a huge amount of money.
Jason revealed that his agent had called him up and as well as his family to break out the news that Disney was offering him $2 million dollars but it also came with a downside that he would get nothing in the royalties.
“That amount of money, to an average middle class family in Chicago in the early 90s, I mean … that’s something. But immediately, my mom goes, ‘Wait a minute…,” Weaver disclosed.
Although that hefty sum would have been life-altering for him, but his mother had been planning long term for him.
“Disney had a reputation for re-releasing stuff,” Weaver says, adding that his mother fully comprehended this. Lady in the Tramp and Bambi, for example, were both re-released in the 80s, with Snow White re-released in the US in 1993, and Sleeping Beauty re-released two years later. And with each re-release, those with royalties in their contracts would receive a nice, hefty check.” he shared further.
Later on, Disney actually offered to him a $100,000 check which also included royalties as well in perpetuity altogether.
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