Kim Kardashian Criticized for Allegedly Using Influence to Secure North a Role in 'Lion King' Concert

North West, the eldest daughter of former couple Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, recently made her acting debut as young Simba during The Lion King's 30th Anniversary concert. Her father, mother, and other Kardashian-Jenner family members were present to support her. North received a resounding round of applause from the enthusiastic audience for her performance. However, not everyone was pleased with her participation in the show. Kardashian also faced criticism from some social media users after a video claimed that she had used her influence to secure North's role in The Lion King.

A TikTok user claimed that her daughter had been overlooked despite being perfect for the part and said that Kardashian had paid to get North the role, as reported by the Mirror. The clip was shared on social media and prompted a sea of comments criticizing Kardashian. One X user shared a video clip of the show and wrote, "The producers auditioned musical theater kids for the role of Simba. Kids who even performed on Broadway. They had calls backs and it was down to three kids. At the last moment, they were told the role was filled. Kim Kardashian paid for North West to have the role."

Several other users also took to Reddit to share their thoughts on this as one user said, "Parents really need to teach their kids that celebrities and their kids ain’t s***. There should be laws and regulations on how much money kids under 18 should make per year." Others also had a similar notion as they added, "This family has never been told 'no' and it’s sad," and another one said, "Pimp mama Kim. How gross and entitled the KarJenners are...its disgusting.." Adding to this, another user made a comment on nepotism and said, "Well said...the nepotism in the entertainment industry stinks."

Apart from these trolls, others have taken to social media to defend North against the criticism she has been facing. One user wrote on X, "Y’all don’t like Kim, so y’all take it out on North? Why are people posting videos of her Lion King performance talking about how much better it would be if it was actually a talented kid???  That’s a baby! why are y’all being weird?" Another user came up with a similar comment and wrote, "The world is really so cruel sometimes. North performed for some Hollywood Lion King play, and they are ripping that little girl apart online. She is a child..." There is uncertainty regarding whether North underwent a standard audition process, as per the Daily Mail's report.

During the 30th-anniversary concert honoring the Disney classic, North demonstrated her talent by singing. The event, a live-to-film concert, provided North with ample opportunities to showcase her stage presence. The concert also featured performances by Jennifer Hudson, Jeremy Irons, Billy Eichner, and Nathan Lane. In addition to North's participation, her mother proudly shared photos of their all-access passes on lanyards and character-inspired cupcakes. She also expressed gratitude to Kris Jenner and her grandmother Mary Jo 'MJ' Campbell for sending flowers.