Andile Gumbi, Former Simba of Broadway's The Lion King, Dies at 36

Andile Gumbi, a rising star who took the Broadway stage in The Lion King, passed away recently in Israel after suffering cardiac arrest, according to Eyewitness News. Gumbi was 36.

At the time of his death, Gumbi was portraying the lead role of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel The Musical at the Jerusalem Theatre. He appeared as Simba in Broadway's The Lion King from August 28, 2012 through August 25, 2013, playing the role during the Tony-winning musical's 15th anniversary.

At that time, Gumbi told Broadway.com in an interview, "I know I'm good at what I do, but I start to think maybe Broadway is too far; maybe I could never make it there. It's the pinnacle of the theater industry! So when it happened, it was the realization of a dream, but something I wasn't sure would happen for me."

A native of Durban, South Africa, Gumbi first starred in The Lion King's Australian company in 2004, after which he served as the international face of the musical, appearing in numerous worldwide advertisements for the show.

"The fact that it's an African show connects on a certain level with me," Gumbi told Broadway.com. "I enjoy playing Simba [because] the character is similar to me: playful and always running around. The show has made me grow as a person, and I'll love it for as long as I live."