Pawel Tucholski Death: Polish Voice of Simba Dies at 57
Polish actor, singer and voice artist Paweł Tucholski died on October 30, 2026, aged 57. Known to many viewers as the Polish voice of adult Simba in The Lion King, he also built a career in theatre, television and film.
His death was reported by Radio Żnin FM on October 31 after the station received information from his family, according to TVN. Tributes have since recalled both his performances and the humour he brought to life backstage.
What Is Known About Paweł Tucholski’s Death
The cause of Paweł Tucholski’s death has not been publicly disclosed. Reports and tributes describe his passing as sudden, but they do not establish a medical explanation.
The news came shortly after a public announcement about his work. On October 27, the Tadeusz Różewicz Theatre in Gliwice welcomed him to its permanent acting company. The notice praised his appointment and listed his training in Warsaw and Poznań.
Directors Grzegorz Krawczyk and Tomasz Man signed the announcement, welcoming him after the theatre’s recruitment process concluded.
That announcement appeared three days before his death. It marked a new professional commitment for an actor whose work had taken him between recording studios, television sets and theatres across Poland.
From Żnin to Disney and the Polish Stage
Tucholski was born on February 6, 1969, in Żnin, Poland. His early experience included performing with the local Albert Tison Theatre.
He later studied at the State Higher School of Theatre in Warsaw and developed his singing at the Vocal Studio in Poznań.
Acting and music remained closely connected throughout his career. He worked at Warsaw’s Teatr Kwadrat and Teatr Dramatyczny, and created the recital Trup i walc, which stayed in the latter theatre’s repertoire for years.
Local newspaper Pałuki also recalled his recognition at the Actors’ Song Festival in Wrocław, including an award for his interpretation of Karuzela in 1997.
For animation audiences, his best known credits included adult Simba in the Polish version of Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King and work on Aladdin. These roles brought his voice to viewers who might never have seen him perform onstage.
His screen appearances included Klan, Złotopolscy, Kryminalni, Plebania, Prawo Agaty and Bodo. According to Dziennik, in 2014, he competed in the first season of Twoja twarz brzmi znajomo, the Polish version of Your Face Sounds Familiar, finishing fifth.
Theatre Colleagues Remember His Voice and Humour
The Kraków VARIETE Theatre paid tribute to Tucholski on November 1. Its company remembered him as Amos Hart in Chicago and Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, two roles that showcased his musical theatre work.
Their farewell also described the person they knew away from the audience. Colleagues remembered his kindness, his stories and a sense of humour that filled the theatre’s corridors with laughter.
One memory was especially vivid. After performances, when the building was growing quiet, songs from Chicago could still be heard from his dressing room, number 017. It was a small detail that gave their tribute a personal warmth beyond a list of credits.
Tucholski also maintained ties to the area where he began. Pałuki recalled concerts in Żnin and Barcin, as well as his appearance at an event celebrating the Albert Tison Theatre in 2021.
His recordings preserve the voice familiar to Disney audiences, while those theatre memories recall the colleague behind it.
