"Everywhere you look I'm standing in the spotlight!" This article was featured on the front page.

"If you tell me, I'll still act surprised!" Watch out! This article may contain spoilers!

Name	Nala (Nah-lah)
Meaning	Gift[1]
Species	Lion
Appearances	The Lion King The Lion King II: Simba's Pride The Lion King 1½ The Lion King: Six New Adventures The Disguised Zebra An Unusual Choir Simba's New Brother Simba and the Snake Dirty Cub
Voice Actors	See below
Close Relations	Daughter of Sarafina and an Unnamed Lion, Mate of Simba, Mother of Kopa and Kiara, Daughter-in-law of Sarabi and Mufasa, Niece-in-law of Scar, Mother-in-law of Kovu, Vitani, and Nuka
Love Interest(s)	Simba

"Pinned ya!"

—Nala, teasing Simba as cubs

Nala is the deuteragonist of The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and a minor character in The Lion King 1½. She is Simba's best friend and later his queen, the daughter of Sarafina, the mother of Kopa and Kiara, and the mother-in-law of Kovu.

Contents 1 Physical Attributes 2 Personality 3 Information 3.1 The Lion King 3.1.1 Cub Nala 3.1.2 Adult Nala 3.2 The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 3.3 The Lion King 1½ 4 Other Roles 4.1 Kingdom Hearts II 4.2 The Lion King musical 5 Family Tree 6 Songs 7 All Voice Actors 8 Trivia 9 Gallery 10 References

Physical Attributes

"She's got those assets feminine! I have to make her mine!"

—Scar checks out Nala in The Madness of King Scar

Nala is a tawny pelted lioness with teal eyes (changing to blue in the sequel). Her frame is fit, a must for that of a huntress, and sleek, as said by her official synopsis. Her official synopsis also shows her eyes as a clear and indisputable blue, likely because the picture was altered to Disney's liking therefore confirming her eyes were blue and not green.

She has light-colored eyeshades as both a cub and adult. Her paws are colorless, and her tail tuft is a rich, mildly brown. Overall, she closely resembles her mother Sarafina.

Personality

Simba: "Y'know you're starting to sound like my father."
Nala: "Good. At least one of us does."

—Simba and Nala arguing

As a cub, Nala is a bit sassy, spunky, and just as curious, mischievous and ready to get in trouble as Simba is. She is firm about her ideas and beliefs, refusing to let Simba take full credit for her idea to get rid of Zazu.

This carries into her adulthood, where Nala has turned into a sharp-tongued and fearless adult lioness. She fights Simba into submission and isn't afraid to re-inforce to Simba that he is the rightful king no matter how much he denies it, or to tell Scar that they (the lionesses) don't believe he's the rightful king, despite being at a lower rank at the time.

She has been known to press Simba's buttons, blatantly replying, "At least one of us does," to when Simba tells her, "You're starting to sound like my father."

In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Nala is much more relaxed and laid-back, seeming to be much less over-protective over her daughter Kiara than Simba is.

Information

The Lion King

Cub Nala

Nala is first seen asleep cradled in Sarafina's arms as Simba runs through the den, intent on waking his father for his morning lesson.

Later on that day, Nala is being bathed by her mother, Sarafina. Simba greets her, whispering to her he just heard about a great place they could explore. Nala points out through clenched teeth that she's in the middle of a bath, accepting her mother's cleansing licks while Simba is abducted by Sarabi and given a bath of his own. Nala remarks, while her mother washes her lower back, that the place they're going to better not be dumb. Simba reassures her that it's really cool, but Sarabi gets suspicious. Nala disproves of this "place" apparently being around the waterhole, asking what's so special about it. Simba whispers through his clenched teeth that "he'll show her when they get there", hinting they aren't really going to the waterhole. She realizes this immediately, asking her mother for permission to accompany Simba and then joining him in charming Sarabi into letting them go, and equally disapproves of Zazu keeping an eye on them.

As they tread towards the water hole, Nala asks Simba in whisper their true destination to which Simba responds is the Elephant Graveyard. Nala responds with excitement, but Simba shushes her reminding her that Zazu is hovering just above them. Nala asks how they get rid of him, and the two cubs begin to whisper a plan to each other, something Zazu mistakes as them being romantic.

The cubs glance at each other, shifting in confusion when Zazu mentions them being "betrothed" and similar terms they don't understand. Nala asks for clarification, and both cubs recoiling in disgust when they realize they are to be married one day. Nala comments them being married would be "weird", and points out since Simba is the future king, Zazu must do what he says when Simba states to do away with the betrothal.

Zazu says he doesn't, not yet anyway, telling Simba he's shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king. The two cubs proceed into "I Just Can't Wait to be King" in order to distract Zazu, trapping Zazu underneath the underside of a rhino and bounding away. Nala happily remarks how they lost Zazu, pointing out to Simba that the plan was her idea and pins him when he decides to tackle her. He pushes her off, and he tackles her again only to be pinned again. A geyser interrupts them both and the two realize they've arrived at and gawk at the Elephant Graveyard.

Nala wanders into the hyena's home wondering if the elephant's brains are still inside, and Simba begins to trot forward to find out. Zazu has caught up to them though, and demand they return to the Pride Lands, very aware that they are in danger. Before they can return, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed exit the large skull the two cubs were intent on checking out and accuse the trio of trespassing.

Zazu begins to herd the two out of the place, but the hyenas corner them, make it apparent they desire the cubs as food, and while they're distracted, Nala and Simba make a run for it. Zazu is snatched from the air though, and the cubs go back to find him, challenging the hyenas and ending up running for their lives again. Nala and Simba scale up a mass of bones, but the young lioness slides down towards the menacing jaws of Shenzi, but before the hyena can do any harm to her, Simba slashes her across the face while Nala gets away. The two cubs attempt to climb an elephant skeleton, but can't get a good grip, weaken the slim strip of flesh they were jumping on and fall through it, and are cornered in the deceased animal's ribcage.

Nala hides behind Simba as he tries to scare the hyenas off with his "roar", but Mufasa comes to the rescue, drowning out Simba's "roar" with his own powerful one. He beats, pins, and scares off the hyenas, turning his fury to Zazu and then Simba for disobeying him. As they trot away, Nala quietly tells Simba she thought he was very brave.

The cubs walk through the clearing in silence, and Mufasa commands Zazu to take Nala home. She glances back at Simba, leaving the two males alone.

Nala is last seen as a cub is when Scar breaks the news to the rest of the pride about Mufasa and Simba's deaths in the gorge. She nuzzles against her mother's leg and sheds a single tear, and looks on in shock and fear as the hyenas close in on Pride Rock.

Adult Nala

"It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know how much this'll mean to everyone... what it means to me..."

—Nala to Simba

Later on in the movie, Nala first appears as an adult relentlessly chasing Pumbaa through the jungle when he strays too far from Timon in pursuit of a beetle. She expertly keeps up with the warthog as he tries to throw her off by turning and twisting. Just as she lunges to kill him and Timon, Simba charges toward her, surprising her. The two fight, with Nala clawing at Simba's head, shoulders, face and mane until he tackles her and she uses her signature move, pinning him hard to the ground.

When Simba says her name, she becomes surprised and gets off him up and inquires him about his identity. It only takes her a second to realize "Simba" was the name of the dead prince, and that this was the same lion. The two greet each other excitedly, asking each other what they're doing here until Timon, confused as to why they are no longer fighting, breaks it up and demands to know what's going on. Simba introduces Nala to his two friends as his best friend. Nala is pleasured to meet them, but turns her attention back to Simba. She tells him excitedly about when everyone finds out here's been here all this time, unknowingly reciting Scar's words exactly when he asks Simba was Sarabi would think of this. When Simba tells her no one has to know, she tells him everyone thinks he's dead especially after learning from Scar about the Stampede. Simba asks her for more, but the lioness insist it doesn't matter since he's alive and is the true king.

Timon scoffs at this, telling Nala she has her "lions crossed". When Pumbaa begins worshiping Simba, the golden lion tells him to stop. Timon corrects Pumbaa; It's grovel not "gravel", laughingly saying that Simba isn't the king, but then curiously asking him if he is. Simba abruptly replies no, and Nala objects. He reinforces his argument, moving to walk off. Privately annoyed with Timon and Pumbaa's presence, Nala politely asks the two to excuse them for a few minutes. Once they are gone, Nala points out sadly to Simba how much his return would mean to everyone...and her. Simba reassures her it's okay and Nala nuzzles him, telling him she's really missed him.

The two nuzzle each other, their affection leading into "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", where Simba and Nala reconcile emotionally as well as physically.

Simba gives Nala a tour of the jungle, asking her if she thinks the jungle is a great place and Nala says it's beautiful, but begins to ask again why he didn't return home if he alive this whole time. She is unsatisfied with Simba's answer of wanting to "get out on his own" and "live his own life", seriously telling him they've really needed him at home. When he denies this, Nala again re-enforces he's the King and again Simba denies this, saying Scar is. Nala tells him about the chaos that's been brewing in the Pride Lands under Scar's rule, telling Simba if he doesn't return everyone will starve. Once more, Simba says he can't go back, moving to flee from Nala's questioning. Simba points out Nala left as well, but Nala counters, telling him she left to find help, that help being him and that he was their only hope.

When again, Simba denies, Nala tells him he's not the Simba she remembers and that she's disappointed in him. Simba again, moves to get away from her, grumbling at how her words reflected Mufasa's. Nala in turn grumbles as least one of them is willing to take up their responsibility and the have a very brief but heated conflict. Nala tries again, softly this time, to get Simba to tell her what he's been through, responding angrily when Simba refuses to tell her anything.

After Simba decides to return, Nala is still in the jungle looking for him. She finds Timon and Pumbaa in hopes they know where Simba has gone off to. Rafiki tells them from atop a tree that "the king has returned." Upon hearing this, Nala is unable to believe that Simba has gone back, and after explaining the situation to Timon and Pumbaa, she runs off to assist him.

Just as Simba gets an eyeful of his home which has been utterly destroyed by Scar, Nala appears by his side, Timon and Pumbaa in tow and the four head towards Pride Rock. They sneak past the hyenas, using Timon and Pumbaa to lure some of the others away, and Simba tells Nala goes to find Sarabi to rally the lioness while he looks for Scar.

Sarabi is with Scar however, so she herself leads the lionesses to Pride rock just as Scar assaults Sarabi and Simba confronts Scar. Scar brings up Mufasa's death with Simba, and confused, Nala asks what Scar is talking about. Upon hearing the "truth" the lionesses as shocked, Sarabi refuses to believe it. Nala shrieks in horror when Scar backs Simba over the edge of Pride Rock and is the first one to lunge forward when Scar admits that he, not Simba, was the one who killed Mufasa.

After Simba emerges victoriously from his fight with Scar, he embraces Sarabi and Nala before taking his rightful place as King. The lionesses watch with relief and joy as Simba ascends up Pride Rock and roars across his reclaimed kingdom with the lionesses roaring back in reply. Sometime later, after the Pride Lands are restored to its former glory, Nala becomes Simba's queen. The two, along with Timon and Pumbaa, stand on the promontory of Pride Rock as they proudly watch the assembly of the animals below Pride Rock. Then Rafiki arrives, cradling their newborn cub, and Simba and Nala happily watch as Rafiki presents the next in line to the throne to the animals of the Pride Lands.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

Nala has a slightly smaller role, despite once again being the deuteragonist. In the film, she has visibly aged and her frame is heavier and larger. Her personality is different since becoming queen. Nala has become calm, mild-mannered, and motherly in the sequel. Simba and Nala now have a rebellious, adventurous daughter named Kiara. Nala's parenting approach contrasts with Simba's need to know that his daughter is safe.

Nala first appears in the film as Rafiki presents Kiara to the animals. She looks on proudly as the animals admire her. She appears in most of the first scene when she tells Kiara to mind her father. She then has a discussion with Simba after Kiara runs off to play by herself. However, Nala's advice is ignored when he sends Timon and Pumbaa to look after Kiara. She then appears when she, Simba, Timon, Pumbaa, and some of the Pridelanders arrive to rescue Kiara from Zira after seeing her with Kovu in the Outlands. When Zira leaves after having a confrontation with King Simba, Nala notices Simba wants to stay behind so he can discipline Kiara, and she returns back to Pride Rock.

Soon after, Kiara has grown into a young adult. Queen Nala talks to Kiara before her first hunt and nuzzles her after that. She next appears when Kiara is rescued by Kovu and reminds King Simba that he owes Kovu "Kiara's life" due to royal protocol She is present that night when Simba has a nightmare about trying to rescue his father during the stampede. However, She is fast asleep and remains silent after the nightmare.

As Kiara and Kovu spend time together in the grasslands that night, Nala finds Simba on a hill, desperately trying to seek advice from the great kings of the past. She consults him, seeing the good in Kovu that Simba can not see past due to Kovu's choosing to be Scar's heir, and urges him to get to know Kovu more.

Nala is present in the final battle when she confronts Vitani. Vitani teases her about Kiara's disappearance, and the lionesses attack each other with Nala outmatching Vitani, though Vitani was younger and trained to kill. After Kiara knocks Zira, who does a last ditch attempt to avenge Scar, out of Simba's way and the two fall down the gorge, Nala gives directions to Simba as he leaps into the gorge to rescue Kiara, who is stranded above the swollen river. As Simba rescues Kiara and helps her back up to the ledge, Nala is relieved to see her daughter safe and sound. After King Simba reconciles with Kovu and the reformed Outsiders, Nala and the others journey back to Pride Rock, where she and Simba proudly witness Rafiki bless the union of Kiara and Kovu. They lead the procession, with the new couple Kiara and Kovu following them, to the promontory of Pride Rock, from where they all let out a loud roar across the Pride Lands.

The Lion King 1½

Nala plays a minor role in The Lion King 1½. She appears for a brief second as a cub when Timon and Pumbaa get disturbed by Simba, Nala and the animals singing I Just Can't Wait to be King. She is first seen when Simba reunites with her in the jungle, while Timon comments that Simba's love for her will tarnish their friendship with him. This leads to Timon and Pumbaa trying to ruin Simba and Nala's romantic evening in the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence. Nala is later seen walking up with Simba on a hill (to which they rolled down from) towards the end of the sequence. Also, Timon and Pumbaa see Simba leaving an argument he is having with Nala, and assure the romance the two lions had for each other is over. Finally, she is seen in an extension of the scene where she explains to Timon and Pumbaa about Simba's life.

Other Roles

Kingdom Hearts II

Nala is seen in Kingdom Hearts II. The young Nala was never seen in the video game, and only Nala as an adult had a role in the game. She is only seen in the Pride Lands with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Vanessa Marshall replaced by Moira Kelly as Nala's voice in the game. Her main role was to find Simba and return to help reclaim Pride rock.

The Lion King musical

In the musical based on the same film, Nala's role is considerably expanded, with the events leading up to Nala leaving the Pride Lands under Scar's tyranny depicted in detail.

Nala first appears in the musical as she is hunting with the other lionesses, replacing the scene from the film in where she was bathed by her mother, Sarafina. Later during the song, "I Just Can't Wait to be King", she sings quite a few extra lines that aren't heard in the film version of The Lion King.

In the scene, "The Madness of King Scar", the lonely, mentally ill Scar decides to take Nala as his mate, despite the fact that she is angrily opposed to the idea. This leads to the musical number, "Shadowland", where Nala sings as the lead about her need to leave the Pride Lands and find help. The other lionesses sing as the supporting choir and Rafiki the baboon sings a blessing over Nala. At the end of the song, Nala bids her pride a sad farewell and leaves.

Tony-Award winning actress Heather Headley portrayed her in the original Broadway cast. In the London West End production of The Lion King, she was originally portrayed by Paulette Ivory.

Family Tree

Unknown

Sarafina

Simba

Nala

Mheetu

Kopa

Kiara

Kovu

    = Male

    = Female

    = Gender Unknown

Songs

• "I Just Can't Wait to be King"
• "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
• "The Madness of King Scar"
• "Shadowland"

All Voice Actors

• The Lion King - (1994) - (film) - Niketa Calame - (cub), Moira Kelly - (adult), Laura Williams - (cub singing voice), Sally Dworsky - (adult singing voice)
• The Lion King (musical) - (1997) - (musical) - Kajuana Shuford (cub) (original actress), Heather Headley (adult) (original actress), Shannon Tavarez† (cub)
• The Lion King II: Simba's Pride - (1998) - (film) – Moira Kelly
• The Lion King 1½ - (2004) - (film) – Moira Kelly
• Kingdom Hearts II - (2005) - (video game) – Vanessa Marshall

Trivia

• Nala is ten years old when she finds Simba in the jungle.^[2]
• Nala was originally Naanda's daughter with Mufasa, thus Sarabi's niece and Simba's cousin/half-sister.

• Nala's original name was Nadra.
• The directors describe Simba and Nala rolling down the hill as "One of the steamiest Disney scenes ever."
• Nala originally had a friend named Bhati.

• Nala's eyes switch from green to blue throughout the movie.
• Originally, Nala had a younger brother named Mheetu, but his character was dropped because of time constraints.
• Interestingly, Nala's eyes are described as "amber" and "golden" in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, despite being green/blue in all the illustrations.
• When Nala is seen hunting Pumbaa, her eyes appear green, but are blue for the rest of the movie.
• When the Lion King directors stated Mufasa or Scar could be Nala's father, it was conceived amongst the fans that Disney confirmed Mufasa or Scar were the only possible sires to Nala, when the reality is Disney confirmed nothing, and merely made a "general assumption." This meant the majority of the persons responsible for Lion King's creation guessed they were the sires but never confirmed anything. When The Lion King was in production, it was never given much serious thought as to who Nala's father, and eventually the directors hoped no one would notice his absence.
• Also, the reference to real lion behavior to answer this question is unreliable. The directors acknowledge during the commentary that the lions are much more human than they are lion. They state Scar nor any other lion in the film have opposable thumbs - like a real lion - yet, Scar and Simba have been shown to have them. They also state The Lion King is based on the dynamics of a real pride with both brothers ruling equally as Kings - again, relative to real lions - but Mufasa is clearly the only King in the pride before his death. Scar or Mufasa being her father - like the statements above - is most likely false.
• Tom Bancroft, a supervising animator, says from the film's perspective they are NOT implying she is either lion's daughter. When it came up that Nala's father was unidentified, everyone merely shrugged and figured "No one would notice."^[3]
• Another reason many believe Scar is her father is because Scar allows her to live when most male lions kill cubs that aren't there when they grow up. The truth is, males only rarely do this.

  

• Before Mufasa's death and Simba's disappearance, Nala had a female cub friend named Tama.
• Nala is very similar to Faline from Bambi. They both only have a mother on screen, and they both fall in love with their childhood best friend.

Gallery

See Here

References

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ [2]
3. ↑

Preceded by: Sarabi

Queen of the Pride Lands Succession Right: Betrothal of Simba

Succeeded by: Kiara