The Lion King
Ernie Sabella ’s voice of Pumbaa in Disney’sThe Lion Kingis iconic to many . However , he has played a diversity of roles throughout his long vocation . Sabella had a memorable Erolia minutilla onSaved By The Bellas Leon Carosi , played Lou Donatelli in the Jason Bateman comedyIt ’s Your Move , and has reprised his role of Pumbaa in Disney’sThe Lion Guard . Now Disney’sThe Lion Kinghas a signature accumulation , which will be available on Digital HD on August 15 and Blu - Ray on August 29 .
Screen Rant got a hazard to talk with Sabella on press 24-hour interval , where we discussed what voice he played with to get to the theme song Pumbaa voice , what scenes were ad libbed in The Lion King , and what his pet prospect was in The Lion King .
We are here at Disney ’s Animal Kingdom and I am with the legend , Ernie Sabella . How are you , Sir ?
Ernie Sabella : Hakuna Matata .
I ’ve literally just been waiting for that all day . You have no idea . You ’ve play two iconic characters in my life - Pumbaa and Leon Carosi . When you begin the role of Pumbaa was there any kind of voice that you were play with that you may have tried out ?
Ernie Sabella : I thought of Michael Gazzo from The Godfather .
Really ? I eff that movie .
Ernie Sabella : Do you call back that scene he says , [ in Gazzo voice ] “ Mr. Corleone say do this ! Mr. Corleone says do that . ” [ express mirth ]
That ’s what it was base on .
Ernie Sabella : Well , I adopt a little from Michael . give thanks you . [ laughs ]
That ’s astonishing . Well , were there any scene that may not have been on the Thomas Nelson Page that you brought to life through advertizing libbing or through extemporization ?
Ernie Sabella : We did a circumstances of ad libbing . I ca n’t remember what ’s on the base now . There was a lot of wonderful give-and-take between Nathan Lane and me and I am so thankful that they permit us fly off the Thomas Nelson Page .
And you Guy were in the booth together ?
Ernie Sabella : We were the two that did every scene together and at that time they said Disney had never done that .
Really ?
Ernie Sabella : Yeah . We were the first .
Trendsetter .
Ernie Sabella : Yep .
And after 23 years you have still been voice Pumbaa . How ’s that been ? Would you have thought that ’s what would happen ?
Ernie Sabella : Yeah . Oh god no . I was hoping we would make the cut . I was hoping we would actually be in the moving-picture show when we ’d go see it because it was just too in effect to be true . A ambition ! Here we were doing guy rope and Dolls at night and in the mean solar day doing The Lion King .
So funny enough , when I saw the film as a youngster , I immediately recognized who you were because Leon Carosi .
Ernie Sabella : Right . Zach , you ’re fired !
[ express joy ] That ’s great . I ’ve always wanted to discover you say that by the way . One of the questions I had was with The Lion Guard , your character has construe reasonably of an phylogeny .
Ernie Sabella : He ’s Uncle Pumbaa .
Yeah . He ’s Uncle Pumbaa . So now that he ’s in this older role , how ’s that finger ?
Ernie Sabella : It feels good because I ’m sure-enough . [ express mirth ]
Of course .
Ernie Sabella : I ’m wiser and Pumbaa is wise .
What ’s your favored song from The Lion King ? Because this motion picture , every Sung dynasty is iconic . Every song is a classic and I find out it here last night and I just ca n’t get it out of my head . What ’s your favorite song ? I think I know what you ’re go to say .
Ernie Sabella : Yeah . I remember you do because my favorite strain is Hakuna Makata . [ laughs ]
Me too . It think no worries .
Ernie Sabella : It means no trouble and I be intimate how in the motion-picture show , because I did n’t recognize how they were going to do it , we save singing and singing it . I thought , “ This is a small fire camp Sung . What ’s going on ? ” And it became this coming of age over the log , you know , shaver , teen , grownup …
That ’s amazing . And your chemistry with Nathan is awesome .
Ernie Sabella : Well , we had a twenty twelvemonth friendship before that .
Ernie Sabella : Yeah . Broadway in New York . He ’s not a big talker , you know ? No , he ’s very quiet .
No !
Ernie Sabella : Very subdued . And I ’m not . So , I would always be talking and every once in awhile he would say , “ close up . ”
So the chemistry you guy had played a immense role in Timon and Pumbaa ’s kinship as well .
Ernie Sabella : Yeah . It did . I ’m happy . I ’m happy . He ’s a genius and he ’s a swell hombre , but he does n’t talk much .
Interesting . What ’s your favorite scene fromThe Lion King ?
Ernie Sabella : Hm . I think when Nala comes to see and bring him back to be tycoon and they ’re wrestling and pin her , when he realizes alright . I got to go back . I got to go back .
Interesting . It ’s crazy because that ’s not even a scene that you ’re really in .
Ernie Sabella : I ’m not in the scene . No .
Yeah . That ’s interesting . So this has a lot of Blu - ray duplicate and I pick up there is a part with you and Nathan in the booth . Have you seen any of that stuff yet ?
Ernie Sabella : No . I can say you I commend all of it so , whatever they show , I will be happy to see it again .
Disney’sThe Lion Kingsignature collection releases on Digital HD on August 15 and Blu - Ray on August 29 . Thank you so much , Ernie .
Ernie Sabella : [ Pumbaa vocalism ] Go get it !
MORE:Our Interview With The Lion King’s Director & Producer
The Lion KingSignature Collection Blu - ray is available August 29 , 2017
