#Clifton Oliver, ‘Lion King’ and ‘In the Heights’ Broadway Actor, Dies at 47

Clifton Oliver, who starred on Broadway as Simba in The Lion King and as Benny in In the Heights, has died. He was 47.

His sister, Roxy Hall, shared on Facebook that the actor died Wednesday morning. The cause of death is unknown but Hall noted that he had been in the hospital and hospice six weeks before his death.

“My baby brother, Clifton Oliver, has had his final curtain call. It was peaceful. His partner, Richard, was singing to him the song Psalm 23 as he took his last breath,” her post read. “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!”

She continued, “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! He lives within all of us! As the song goes in one of his most prominent roles of Simba in the Lion King on Broadway, He Lives In Me!”

Born in 1975, Oliver grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He knew he wanted to pursue a career in the arts early in life and ended up going on to study at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. It wasn’t until 2010 when he moved to New York to start his acting career on Broadway.

His notable projects include Wicked, where he joined the ensemble and served as an understudy for Fiyero, and In the Heights, where he took on the role of Benny, opposite Jordin Sparks, according to Playbill. Oliver also starred as Simba in the Broadway production of The Lion King in 2011 as well as playing the same role in the Las Vegas production and on the national tour.

The actor also joined the tours of Dreamgirls and Motown the Musical and performed in the off-Broadway productions of Miracle Brothers and Bella: An American Tall Tale.

The Instagram account for The Lion King — Musical shared a tribute to the actor by quoting Mufasa: “Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.”

“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,” the post continued. “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 5PM EST.”

Hall said more information will come as they plan a celebration of life.