Zazu (Disney)

Zazu is a feisty red-billed hornbill who first appeared in Disney's 1994 film The Lion King and its sequels.

He serves as majordomo to Mufasa, Scar, and Simba. Zazu has had several voice actors portray him. Rowan Atkinson voices the character in The Lion King, while Edward Hibbert voices him in the two The Lion King 1½ |sequels. Michael Gough voices Zazu in its television series Timon and Pumbaa. Jeff Bennett provides Zazu's singing voice during the Morning Report sequence on the Platinum Edition of The Lion King DVD.

The Lion King 1 1/2 and The Lion King
Zazu appears when he reaches to Mufasa during Simba's birth. In the midquel, he explains to Mufasa how the animals bow to the newborn king.

Outside the midquel, he warns Scar about playing with an innocent mouse. He rebelled against Zazu about his sayings until Scar told him to drop him. In a deleted scene, he talks to Simba about pomp and circumstance for a starting day. He is later seen giving news to Mufasa in the morning. He explains about the animals until he is pounced by Simba. In the 2002 IMAX re-release, Zazu sings his signature song "The Morning Report". During the song, he sings about what animals do, like in the song "To Be King". He is later pounced by Simba. Sarabi gives him to Simba and Nala on their journey to the watering hole to avoid getting lost. While going there, Simba and Nala freak him out by singing their signature song ("I Just Can't Wait to be King").

In the Elephant Graveyard, he tries to stop them from checking the big elephant's skull. He is captured by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, who put him in a boiler, blasting him like a rocket. In the midquel, he and Mufasa are seen by Timon and Pumbaa. He tells Mufasa that Scar's hyenas are after Simba and Nala. Later, Mufasa hires him to take Nala to Sarafina.

In the gorge where Simba caused a wildebeest stampede, Zazu notices Mufasa that Simba is in the gorge. He explains to Simba that Mufasa is rescuing him. After that, Zazu tries to convince Scar about what to do. However, he is hit by his paw. Back in Pride Rock when Scar talks about the loss of Mufasa, he brings his hyenas to be king. The next evening, he is imprisoned by Scar's hyenas in a bone cage. He sings medleys until Scar's hyenas enter.

Back again, Zazu tells Timon to let him out of his cage. Pumbaa convinces the hyenas to stop eating them. Pumbaa crashes into Zazu's cage, scaring away Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

After Scar's death, he is happy that peace is restored and is later seen flying in the air during Fluffy's birth.

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride
Zazu is given a very minor role in the sequel. He is the advisor of Simba and Nala. As Kiara is a teenager, he thought Kiara is going to be safe on the grasslands. Simba tells him to get Kiara when Zira's outsiders start a plan to kill Simba. Zazu is later seen during Kovu's banishment and then during the confrontation between Zira with no lines. Zazu appears again with all the lionesses rejoiced.