Samuel E. Wright, voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, dies at 74

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

This one hits my childhood hard. Samuel E. Wright, the actor, and singer whose voice is known by so many of us because of his vocal talents as Sebastian the crab in The Little Mermaid has passed away at the age of 74. The news was made public by the official Facebook page for Wright's hometown of Montgomery, New York.

A cause of death for Wright wasn't revealed as of this writing but the Town of Montgomery honored Wright with the following statement that was included with the Facebook post:

"Today, the Town of Montgomery mourns the loss of Sam Wright. Sam was an inspiration to us all and along with his family established the Hudson Valley Conservatory. Sam and his family have impacted countless Hudson Valley youth, always inspiring them to reach higher and dig deeper to become the best version of themselves. On top of his passion for the arts and his love for his family, Sam was most known for walking into a room and simply providing PURE JOY to those he interacted with. He loved to entertain, he loved to make people smile and laugh and he loved to love. The greater Town of Montgomery Community mourns together today. As we say goodbye to a pillar in our community and ask everyone to share a memory and help us celebrate the life of this great man."

Wright was born on November 20, 1946, and, before gaining true pop culture status as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, he was nominated for a Tony Award in 1984 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, based on his performance in The Tap Dance Kid. Wright would find himself nominated again more than a decade later for the same award for playing Mufasa in the Broadway adaptation of the Disney animated movie The Lion King. However, this was not Wright's first endeavor with Disney that would make him a bit of a household name.

Wright is best known for voicing Sebastian in 1989's The Little Mermaid. The character, a singing crab with a truly distinct voice, is probably one of the most popular Disney sidekicks and he's known for his showstopping tunes in the film, "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl." If we're talking some of the greatest Disney songs ever made, these two rank pretty high on the list. Wright would go on to reprise the role multiple times in the direct-to-video sequels Sebastian's Caribbean Jamboree, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. He would also go on to voice Sebastian in the animated series adaptation in the early 90s.

While so many may not know Wright's face, they'll certainly know his voice and it's a voice that so many of us have grown up with over the years. The Little Mermaid is a true Disney classic and Wright is a piece of that legacy because of a vocal performance that gives his character so much life. Our thoughts go out to Wright's family, friends, and fans during this difficult time. He will be missed.