Disney’s 1994 animated masterpiece, The Lion King, is renowned for its stunning visuals, emotional depth, and uplifting soundtrack. It features one of the most impactful deaths in children’s cinema, a riveting tale of accepting responsibility, and a touching love story. It also includes its fair share of fart jokes.
These comedic elements primarily revolve around Pumbaa, the clumsy warthog who, alongside Timon, forms the film’s humorous duo. Nathan Lane voices Timon, the quick-witted meerkat, and reveals that Pumbaa’s gassy nature stems from his voice actor, Ernie Sabella, frequently joking about flatulence during the recordings.
“We record early in the morning when we’re all a bit tired," Lane explained. "I’d be having my coffee, and as we started, Ernie would suddenly make fart sounds while speaking, just to make me laugh and get energized. This ultimately inspired Pumbaa to be Disney’s first character known for flatulence.”
The unscripted humor wasn’t limited to Pumbaa’s gags. The dynamic between Sabella, whose voice work combined influences from actor Wallace Beery and Michael Gotso in The Godfather, and Lane’s portrayal of a "Brooklyn Jewish meerkat" led to some amusing unscripted lines reaching the final cut.
Lane recalled, “We were just goofing around. I don’t remember most of it. At one point, I jokingly asked, ‘What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?’ It was probably a long recording session. That offhand remark eventually led to it becoming a song.”
