Hans Zimmer Reflects on Personal Trauma Behind 'The Lion King' Score

The composer reveals how the loss of his father at age six shaped the emotional depth of the film's iconic music.

Hans Zimmer has shared how his father's death when he was six years old influenced his work on Disney's 'The Lion King.'
The score, including the piece '...To Die For,' was described by Zimmer as both a love letter and a requiem for his late father.
Zimmer's daughter was six years old while he composed the music, mirroring the age he was when his father passed away.
The emotional resonance of the score contributed to its cultural impact and earned Zimmer an Oscar for Best Original Score in 1995.
Recent interviews have brought renewed attention to the personal and intergenerational themes behind Zimmer's celebrated work.