Photo Credit: SplashNews
North West made her acting debut as Young Simba during The Lion King's 30th Anniversary concert on Friday, but online trolls have since criticized the 10-year-old's "nepo-baby" advantage. The eldest child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West—who attended the concert at The Hollywood Bowl—performed "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" and received a standing ovation.
However, some social media users on X (formerly known as Twitter) voiced their opinions on Kim and Kanye's daughter landing such a coveted role. One user remarked, "Nepotism is literally the best thing to be born with," while another commented, "The worst case of nepotism I have ever witnessed." Others echoed similar sentiments, with one stating, "Nepotism and the synonym next to it is KARDASHIANS," accompanied by laughing emojis. Another added, "Nepotism is so crazy lol. Someone else's more talented, probably voice and dance trained kid didn't get it because his/her family isn't famous enough."
Despite the backlash, some users acknowledged North's effort and enthusiasm. One wrote, "She looks great and it seems like she's having a lot of fun, but it's clear she wouldn't be there if not for her parents. This is classism at its finest!" Another user sympathized with other children who might have been more talented but didn't get the opportunity, saying, "Aw man...I feel bad for the kids there that are actually talented who could've nailed this."
The casting process for North's role remains unclear. DailyMail.com has reached out to a Kardashian spokesperson for comment. Earlier this month, it was announced that North would be part of the live-to-film concert event, which ran for two nights on May 24 and 25 at the Hollywood Bowl, a venue with a capacity of 17,500 people and ticket prices starting at $60.
North performed alongside stars such as Jennifer Hudson, Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Jeremy Irons, and Nathan Lane. Kanye West, Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, and her husband Travis Barker were in attendance to support North. Kim Kardashian cheered on North from backstage, sharing photos on her Instagram Stories from North's dressing room, including snaps of all-access passes, character-inspired cupcakes, and floral arrangements from Kris and grandmother Mary Jo 'MJ' Campbell.
Kim also uploaded a clip of herself watching the concert with daughter Chicago, six, on her lap, and shared a photo of North sweetly combing her younger sister's hair backstage. Kim posed with other cast members, including the actor who played Zazu, and captured a memorable photo of North with Jason Weaver. On Sunday, Kim posted more behind-the-scenes snaps on Instagram, including one with North and Jennifer Hudson, captioned, "The Queen @iamjhud." She also shared a picture of a Lion King-inspired bouquet with small studded animals of the characters.
North earned a standing ovation for her performance of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from the 1994 Disney animated movie. For her role, she wore a casual version of the Broadway costume: a yellow hoodie and matching shorts with a fuzzy hood and slippers.
North's acting debut follows her announcement of her first album, Elementary School Dropout, in March, a nod to her dad's 2004 debut The College Dropout. The preteen was also featured on "Talking / Once Again" from Vultures 1, Ye's collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign, which made her one of the youngest artists to ever chart on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at No. 30 in February.
