Actor and musician Samuel E Wright, known for his iconic voice role as Sebastian the Crab in Disney's The Little Mermaid, has died aged 74.
Wright also played multiple roles on Broadway throughout his career, in productions like The Lion King and The Wiz.
His daughter, Dee, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that her father died peacefully at home after battling prostate cancer.
"He was the brightest light," she told the US publication.
A decades-long arts career
One of Wright's first Broadway appearances was in Jesus Christ Superstar in the early 1970s, the beginning of more than 25 years on one of the world's biggest stages.
His 30-year film career saw him voice the wise and lovable Sebastian the Crab in all three of Disney's The Little Mermaid films from 1989 to 2008, and his classic performance of Under The Sea earned the track an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1990.
Wright told the Los Angeles Times in 1991 that he kept a collection of little red crabs on display at his home in New York, a home he described as "so beautiful you think you’re living in a Disney cartoon".
"Every time I pass one I genuflect and say, 'thank you for the house, my kids' education and the fact that we don’t have to eat cheese grits anymore'," he told the Times.
He also played the original role of Mufasa in Broadway's The Lion King in the late 1990s.
"You may remember his beautiful voice as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, but he was our Mufasa in The Lion King and what a king he was," Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley shared to social media.
"He lives in us always."
'He loved to love'
New York community Facebook page Town of Montgomery, where Wright lived, posted a heartfelt tribute saying he "loved to entertain, loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love".
"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," the post read.
"As we say goodbye to a pillar in our community and ask everyone to share a memory and help us celebrate the life of this great man."
