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Jason Weaver

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This article is about the singer-songwriter. For the jockey, see Jason Weaver (jockey). For the cricketer, see Jason Weaver (cricketer).

Jason Weaver
Weaver in 2023
Born
Jason Michael Weaver

(1979-07-18) July 18, 1979 (age 46)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesJ-Weav
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1990–present
Children1

Jason Michael Weaver (born July 18, 1979), also known by his stage name J-Weav, is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his roles as a child actor, portraying a young Michael Jackson in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, and starring in the television sitcoms Thea (1993–1994) and Smart Guy (1997–1999).[1] He has played the recurring role of Rashaad "Shaad" Marshall in the Showtime drama series The Chi.

His most globally recognized work is providing the singing voice of young Simba in Disney's animated feature film The Lion King (1994).[2] As a recording artist, he was featured on Chingy's 2004 hit single "One Call Away," which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[3]

Early life and family

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Jason Michael Weaver was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Marilyn "Kitty" Haywood, was a member of the Chicago-based female vocal group Kitty & the Haywoods. The group provided backing vocals on Aretha Franklin's soundtrack album for the 1976 film Sparkle.[4] Due to his mother's career, Weaver was exposed to the music industry from a young age. He attended Thornwood High School.

Career

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1990–1996: Child stardom and The Lion King

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Weaver's acting career began in 1990 with a role in Oprah Winfrey's television drama series Brewster Place. His breakthrough came in 1992 when he was cast to portray the pre-teen version of Michael Jackson in the acclaimed ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. His performance was well received by critics and audiences.[4]

Following this success, he was cast as Jerome Turrell, the son of the title character, in the ABC sitcom Thea, which aired from 1993 to 1994 and also starred a young Brandy Norwood.[1]

In 1994, Weaver provided the singing voice for the young lion cub Simba in Disney's animated classic The Lion King, performing on the songs "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and "Hakuna Matata".[2] The role was initially offered with a flat fee of $2 million. However, on the advice of his mother, Weaver's family opted for a smaller one-time payment of $100,000 in exchange for a percentage of future royalties from the film's soundtrack sales. This decision proved to be highly lucrative due to the immense and enduring success of the soundtrack, earning him significant returns over the decades.[5][6]

Buoyed by his success, Weaver signed with Motown Records and released his debut studio album, Love Ambition, on June 27, 1995.[4] The album produced two singles that charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: "Love Ambition (Call on Me)" and "I Can't Stand the Pain."[7]

1997–2010: Smart Guy and musical collaborations

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From 1997 to 1999, Weaver starred as Marcus Henderson, the older brother of child prodigy T.J. Henderson, in the WB sitcom Smart Guy.[1] After the show ended, he continued to act in film, with roles in Drumline (2002) and The Ladykillers (2004).

In 2003, Weaver collaborated with rapper Chingy as the featured vocalist on the hit single "One Call Away." The song was a major commercial success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart.[3][8] In 2006, he appeared in a supporting role as Teddy in the coming-of-age film ATL.

2011–present: Later acting roles and The Chi

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In his later career, Weaver has continued to act in various films and television series. In 2021, he joined the cast of the Lena Waithe-created Showtime drama series The Chi in a recurring role as Rashaad "Shaad" Marshall. His character was introduced in season 4 and has since become a significant part of the series.[9]

Personal life

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Weaver has one son, Jaylen.[10]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US R&B
[7]
Love Ambition
  • Released: June 27, 1995
  • Label: Motown
  • Formats: CD, cassette
 69

Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[3] 		US R&B
[7]
"Love Ambition (Call on Me)" 1995 — 32 Love Ambition
"I Can't Stand the Pain" — 60
"Stay with Me" 1996 — 59 Non-album single
"One Call Away"
(as featured artist with Chingy) 		2004 2 3 Jackpot
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Filmography

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(A comprehensive filmography is available at the Internet Movie Database.)

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Brewster Place Matthew Thomas Television series; main cast
1992 The Jacksons: An American Dream Michael Jackson (ages 9–14) Television miniseries
1993–1994 Thea Jerome Turrell Television series; main cast
1994 The Lion King Young Simba (singing voice) Animated film
1997–1999 Smart Guy Marcus Henderson Television series; main cast
2002 Drumline Ernest Film
2006 ATL Teddy Film
2021–present The Chi Rashaad "Shaad" Marshall Television series; recurring role

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1993 Young Artist Award Outstanding Young Performer in a Miniseries or Special The Jacksons: An American Dream Won [11]
1994 Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series Thea (Shared with cast) Nominated [12]
1995 Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Voiceover The Lion King Won [13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jason Weaver - TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Stevens, Matt (June 24, 2024). "The Singer Who Was Simba in 'The Lion King' Looks Back". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Chingy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Jason's Lyric". Vibe. September 1995. p. 92. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  5. ^ Carras, Christi (December 2, 2019). "The Actor Who Voiced The Singing 'Lion King' Simba Turned Down A Huge Paycheck As A Kid". HuffPost. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  6. ^ Cowen, Trace William (November 20, 2019). "Jason Weaver Says He Turned Down $2 Million From Disney for His 'Lion King' Role for Royalties". Complex. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Jason Weaver Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  8. ^ "Chingy Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  9. ^ Jones, Monique (June 18, 2023). "'The Chi's' Jason Weaver And Rolando Boyce On Shaad And Darnell's Journey And The Importance Of Black Male Vulnerability". Shadow and Act. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  10. ^ "'The Lion King': Jason Weaver Details Choosing $100K And Royalties Deal Over $2M Flat Fee From Disney". Essence. November 21, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2025. I have a son. His name is Jaylen.
  11. ^ "14th Annual Youth in Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  12. ^ "15th Annual Youth in Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  13. ^ "16th Annual Youth in Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
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