Credit: The Late Late Show with James CordenJames Corden is officially ending his late-night talk show run after eight years on the air, and naturally, he chose to do so by adding a wild musical number as his final stunt. The talk show personality rose to prominence after creating “Carpool Karaoke,” where he would ride around with celebrity musicians and sing their songs along with them. Instead of ending his long-tenured show on that front, he recruited Tom Cruise for a hilarious rendition of “Hakuna Matata,” with both stars in full costumes during the Broadway show.
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The Lion King initially debuted in 1994, effectively securing the blockbuster status that Disney has come to know through their animated movies. The animated venture held onto the record of the highest-grossing animated film until Finding Nemo was released in 2003. Through the film’s popularity, a Broadway show was devised that brought elegant costumes and beautiful choreography and upheld the fantastic score the animated film created.
The Broadway play debuted in Minneapolis in 1997 but has gone on to have toured worldwide. Naturally, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the stageplay, like many other live performances, to be halted in 2020. However, in September 2021, live performances once again resumed. During the week that ended on January 1, the play would pull in $4.3 million, making it the highest-earning week in Broadway history.
Considering James Corden and Tom Cruise have spent plenty of time together, Corden wanted to recruit Cruise for one final bit and stunt for his finale show. They both appeared in the live Broadway performance of The Lion King at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, California. Though the pair initially appeared together in a rhino suit during “Circle of Life,” they stole the show with their rendition of “Hakuna Matata.”
Tom Cruise and James Corden perform “Hakuna Matata” as Timon and Pumba in the final episode of ‘THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN’. pic.twitter.com/3CJxKE3uKy
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The crowd is naturally filled with excitement when the curtain comes up, as massive cheers can be heard. The camera pans to the audience, who are shocked to see the pair onstage. Though they had previously been in the rhino costume, it was harder to tell it was Tom Cruise and James Corden. Cruise and Corden appeared on stage in full costumes for Timon and Pumbaa and delivered a performance the audience won’t soon forget.
Corden boasted his Tony Award to the castmates of The Lion King, while he referred to Tom Cruise as someone with “limited or next to no theatrical experience.”
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We would have imagined buying a ticket to see the live Broadway performance of The Lion King was exciting enough, but being able to see Tom Cruise appear on stage to perform as Pumbaa would be the proverbial “icing on the cake.” Cruise truly embodied the character, as he can be heard belting out the lyrics and trying to sound as humorous as possible, which worked well.
The audience certainly got a treat they were not expecting, and they get to carry this story for the rest of their lives. Well done to Tom Cruise and James Corden.
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