Scar (The Lion King) Jungle Book"." More recently, the possibility of an incestuous relationship involving Simba, his mate Nala, Scar and Mufasa has surfaced. According to Johnson Cheu, author of "Diversity in Disney Films: Critical Essays on Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality and Disability", the fact that Mufasa, Scar, and Simba appear to be the only male lions present in "The Lion King "suggests the possibility that either Mufasa or Scar is Nala's father, which would in turn make Nala either Simba's half-sister or cousin. However, "The Lion Guard" identifies Nala's father as a red-maned unnamed lion who-in his youth-resembled his grandson (and Scar's great-nephew)
Simba by the character Bambi from Disney's "Bambi" (1942), as well as the stories of Moses and Joseph from the Bible. Additionally, several similarities have been drawn between Simba and Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." In 1997, "The Lion King" was adapted into a Broadway musical, with actors Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize originating the roles of the cub and adult Simbas, respectively. "Simba" is a Swahili word for "lion". It also has other definitions, such as "king". The idea for "The Lion King" originated from Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1989 and was originally conceived under the title "King