Jaylen Zylus is best known as the oldest son of Jason Weaver, the actor and R&B singer who sang as young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King (1994). Reports give his full name as Jaylen Zylus Weaver and say he was born in 2002. He has grown up out of the public eye while his father’s voice became part of film history.
Many people find Jaylen’s name while reading about his dad. Some see it in a list of Jason Weaver’s family. Others come across it after hearing the famous story of the $2 million Disney offer that Jason’s mother turned down.
This article sticks to what is known. You will learn about Jaylen’s family roots, the sweet moment he found out his father was Simba, his new baby brother, and the career that shaped the home he grew up in. Anything that has not been confirmed is clearly marked.
Quick Facts: Jaylen Zylus
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jaylen Zylus Weaver (as reported) |
| Known as | Jason Weaver’s oldest son |
| Birth year | 2002 (reported by BCK Online) |
| Exact birthday | Not publicly confirmed |
| Birthplace | Not publicly confirmed |
| Father | Jason Michael Weaver, actor and singer |
| Mother | Not publicly confirmed |
| Grandmother | Marilyn “Kitty” Haywood, singer |
| Grandfather | Robert Lincoln Weaver |
| Sibling | Younger brother, River Jeremiah Weaver (born October 2025) |
| Career | Not publicly confirmed |
| Social media | No verified public account |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Jaylen Zylus?
Jaylen Zylus is the son of Jason Weaver, a Chicago-born performer who started acting as a child in 1990. Jason’s Wikipedia page lists one son named Jaylen. In October 2025, BCK Online named Jaylen as Jason’s older son and gave his birth year as 2002.
That would put Jaylen in his early twenties today. Little else about his life is public. He has no confirmed acting credits, no confirmed music releases, and no verified public social media page.
What we do have is a small, warm story his father has told. It shows what it was like to grow up as the child of a voice the whole world knows.
The Day Jaylen Learned His Dad Was Simba
Most kids who watch The Lion King hear Simba sing “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” Few hear their own father. That is what Jaylen did, though at first he had no idea.
In a 2024 interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Jason said his son did not know at first that his dad sang the songs in the film. That changed in the early 2000s, when Disney hosted the family at Animal Kingdom in Florida.
During that trip, Jaylen began to put it together. A Simba doll that sang with his father’s voice helped. Then his grandmother, Kitty Haywood, told him the voice was his dad’s.
It is a small family moment. It also shows how normal Jaylen’s early life seems to have been. To him, Jason was just Dad first. Simba came later.
Jaylen Zylus and His Musical Family Roots
Jaylen comes from a family of performers. His grandmother is Marilyn “Kitty” Haywood, a Chicago singer who sang jingles and recorded music. She was part of the vocal group Kitty & the Haywoods, and Fortune reports she sang backup for Aretha Franklin.
His grandfather on his dad’s side is Robert Lincoln Weaver, according to Jason’s Wikipedia page.
Kitty did more than sing. She guided her son’s career from the start. She helped Jason get ready for his Lion King audition. She also made the money decision that still shapes the family today.
The $2 Million Choice That Reached the Next Generation
The story is well known now. When Jason was cast as young Simba, Disney offered a payment of about $2 million. That deal came with no royalties.
Kitty Haywood said no. She took about $100,000 upfront plus royalties instead. In a 2019 interview on VladTV, Jason explained her thinking. She knew Disney had a habit of re-releasing its films, so a share of future sales could pay much more over time.
She was right. Jason has said he has since earned more than the money he turned down. He also said that turning down her advice would have been the biggest mistake of his business career.
This matters for Jaylen’s story. In Fortune’s October 2026 report, Jason agreed the royalties could be passed down to his children and their children. A choice made in the early 1990s may help a son born a decade later.
Jaylen Zylus’s Father: How Jason Weaver Became a Star
To understand the home Jaylen grew up in, it helps to know his father’s path.
Jason Michael Weaver was born on July 18, 1979, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the city’s south suburbs and went to Thornwood High School. He got his first screen role in 1990 on Brewster Place.
His big break came in 1992. He played the young Michael Jackson in the ABC miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. Jason sent in a taped audition through Chicago’s Geddes Agency. He then had a callback in Los Angeles in front of Michael Jackson’s parents.
The Sun-Times reports that Michael Jackson visited the set in disguise and praised Jason’s work. The role also made Jason a local star at home. Fans once mobbed him at River Oaks Mall.
From the Jackson Set to Pride Rock
That miniseries led to Simba. Elton John, who co-wrote the songs for The Lion King, saw Jason perform on the set of The Jacksons. He invited the young singer to audition.
Jason won the part as the singing voice of young Simba. The 1994 film became the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film of all time. He won a Young Artist Award for the voice work in 1995. He had also won one in 1993 for The Jacksons.
In May 2024, Jason joined the film’s 30th anniversary concert at the Hollywood Bowl. There he saw co-director Rob Minkoff again. He said the film still touches people’s lives.
The TV Shows Jaylen’s Father Is Known For
Jason kept working steadily on TV through the 1990s. He played Jerome Turrell on Thea (1993 to 1994). He made a guest appearance on Sister, Sister in 1996.
His best-known sitcom role came next. He starred as Marcus Henderson on Smart Guy from 1997 to 1999. Many fans still know him best from that show.
In later years, he voiced Condor on The LeBrons. He also appeared on Let’s Stay Together, Black-ish, and Boomerang. In 2021, he joined The Chi as Rashaad “Shaad” Marshall. In 2023, he had a recurring role as Brian in season 6 of Sistas.
Jason Weaver’s Music Career
Music has always been part of the Weaver home. Jason signed with Motown and released his debut album, Love Ambition, on June 27, 1995. Its singles included “Love Ambition (Call on Me)” and “I Can’t Stand the Pain.”
His biggest chart hit came in 2004. He was featured on Chingy’s “One Call Away,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Jaylen was a small child when that song was on the radio. Whether he takes after his father in music is not known. No song, album, or performance by Jaylen has been confirmed.
Jaylen Zylus’s Father on Screen in Film
Jason also built a solid film career. He played Ernest in Drumline (2002). He appeared in the Coen brothers’ The Ladykillers (2004) with Tom Hanks. He played Teddy in ATL (2006) and Ray Ray in Lottery Ticket (2010).
He went on to appear in many independent films and TV movies in the 2010s. These include Note to Self, Hope for Love, and Marry Me for Christmas.
The Chef School Chapter
Jaylen’s dad once took a turn few fans expect. After the 2007 to 2008 Hollywood writers’ strike and the recession that followed, Jason enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. The singer Kelis was one of his classmates.
He told the Sun-Times he wanted a second skill to support himself. For a father raising a young son at the time, it was a practical choice. Acting work can stop without warning.
Jaylen Zylus Becomes a Big Brother
The biggest public news in Jaylen’s family came in October 2025. Jason welcomed a new baby son, River Jeremiah Weaver.
Revolt reported that River was born on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 10:25 p.m. River’s mother is Jason’s partner, Gabby. Her full name has not been shared publicly. Jason thanked her and the hospital staff in a post introducing his son.
Jason also shared a fun hospital video. In it, a nurse lifts baby River into the air, much like the famous scene where Rafiki holds up Simba. BCK Online pointed out the Lion King nod and named Jaylen as River’s big brother.
That makes Jaylen more than 20 years older than his brother. He is old enough to be a guide and role model for River as he grows up.
Clearing Up the Confusion Around Jaylen Zylus
Because so little is public, many websites fill the gaps with guesses. Here is what you should know before you trust them.
His mother’s name. Websites give at least two different names for Jaylen’s mother. Jason has not confirmed either one in any trusted source. Until he or the family does, her name should be treated as unknown.
A music career. At least one site calls Jaylen a “rising star in the music industry.” No releases, labels, or performances back this up.
His exact birthday. Some sites give 2001, while BCK Online says 2002. No exact date has been confirmed.
Net worth. No reliable figure exists for Jaylen. Any number you see online is a guess.
Why Jaylen Zylus Stays Out of the Spotlight
Jason was famous before he could drive. He was mobbed at a mall as a young boy. He grew up with cameras, sets, and fans.
Jaylen’s life looks very different. There are no public interviews, no red carpet photos from trusted outlets, and no verified accounts in his name. Whether this is his own choice, his family’s, or both, the result is the same: he has had room to grow up in private.
Jason has spoken about wanting to provide for his family and set a good example for his community. Keeping his oldest son’s life private fits with that.
Jaylen Zylus Today
As of 2026, Jaylen is a young man in his early twenties, based on the reported 2002 birth year. Where he lives, what he studies, and what work he does have not been shared publicly.
His father lives in Atlanta and often returns to Chicago. In 2024, Jason served as grand marshal of Chicago’s Bud Billiken Parade. He also runs an Instagram page that highlights Chicago bars and restaurants.
In October 2026, Jason’s royalty story went viral again after Fortune wrote about it. Once more, people started searching for his family. Once more, Jaylen’s name came up, while he stayed quietly out of view.
Final Thoughts
Some children inherit a last name. Others inherit a story. Jaylen seems to have both, but he also has something rarer: the chance to decide how much of that story belongs to him.
There is something gentle in the image of a little boy holding a toy that sings with his father’s voice, slowly realizing the hero on screen is the man at the dinner table. Fame can feel huge from the outside. Inside a family, it often shrinks down to moments like that.
The decisions that shape our lives are sometimes made before we are born. A grandmother’s choice at a contract table. A father’s choice to learn a new skill. A family’s choice to protect a child’s privacy. Jaylen’s life reminds us that legacy is not only what we leave behind. It is also the space we give the next person to become themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Jaylen Zylus Jason Weaver’s son?
Yes. Jaylen is Jason Weaver’s oldest son. Jason’s Wikipedia page lists a son named Jaylen, and BCK Online named him as Jason’s older son in 2025.
How old is Jaylen Zylus?
BCK Online reports he was born in 2002, which would make him about 23 or 24 in 2026. His exact birthday has not been confirmed.
Does Jaylen Zylus have siblings?
Yes. He has a younger brother, River Jeremiah Weaver, who was born on October 15, 2025, to Jason and his partner, Gabby.
Did Jaylen know his father was the voice of Simba?
Not at first. Jason told the Chicago Sun-Times that Jaylen figured it out during a family trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, with help from a singing Simba doll and his grandmother.
Who is Jaylen Zylus’s mother?
Her identity has not been publicly confirmed. Different names show up online, but none has been verified by Jason Weaver or a trusted news source.
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