Remembering Roger Allers 1947-2026

Roger Allers by John Mueller

I was lucky enough to work with Roger Allers on two of the films he co-directed: Lion King and Open Season. Both movies were challenging projects with very standards - and very high expectations of the artists who worked on them.  Despite these challenges both films were a great experience for me - made better by working under Roger Allers' direction.

There is a reason that so many in our community will miss Roger Allers so much.  He was not just a very talented artist who expected a great deal from those who he worked with, but he also managed to do this without ever being unkind or mean-spirited.  

Roger Allers was perhaps the perfect director - he knew exactly what he wanted, and knew how to explain to an animator how to get there.  I never saw him in a bad mood, or even sound impatient or grouchy.

I was a rookie animator on Lion King, working for Disney in LA for the first time, and completely star struck by all the talent around me.  

Roger must have sensed this because he went out of his way to put me at ease, and to help me - in the kindest possible way - do the best work I possibly could, work I am still proud of to this day. 

Roger Allers was a great director - and a fine human being. 

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