The Disney Classic Nick Jonas Can’t Watch Without Crying

written by Craig Ellison

May 25, 2026 9:59 am

The Disney Classic Nick Jonas Can’t Watch Without Crying — Image credit: Legion-Media

Nick Jonas says The Lion King still brings on the tears — and rewatching it with his 4-year-old daughter Malti has turned those nostalgic Disney nights into a sweet father-daughter ritual.

If you want evidence that even global pop stars are secretly weepy softies, look no further than Nick Jonas, who just confessed that Disney's old-school The Lion King still gets him blubbing—yes, even now he’s a father. He talked about all this not in some fluffy chat show, but during a proper panel in New York this week, sitting alongside Paul Rudd and director John Carney to hype up their new project, Power Ballad.

Nick Jonas: Still Tears Up at The Lion King (Yes, Really)

So, what actually happened? During the Q&A, host Josh Horowitz dug into the slightly awkward topic of movies or tunes that make tough adults lose it. Nick, hardly missing a beat, pointed straight at The Lion King. Not just for nostalgia’s sake, but apparently, it’s practically a father-daughter bonding exercise in the Jonas household.

'Well, I’ll say there are two scenes in this movie that I’m not in, and they hit me super hard as a father. I think there’s a real thing that you’ll see. I want you to think about this powerful stuff, family, that aspect. Then, outside of that, when I cry over a movie, it’s The Lion King.’

And before anyone accuses him of grandstanding, he added some detail about sharing those famous Disney heartbreaks with Malti—his daughter with Priyanka Chopra, born back in 2022. For Nick, rewatching these emotional classics isn’t just a trip down memory lane; it’s about reliving the stories that made him who he is, and now passing them on. Top dad move, really.

If you’re still picturing Jonas being stoic in the cinema, he also admitted he 'always' cries at films while flying. No shame in that—something about cabin pressure and children's films is basically a recipe for tears, let’s be honest.

A Quick Refresher on The Lion King

The Lion King was released in 1994 and is widely considered one of Disney’s all-time great animated titles.
Apart from being based (a bit loosely) on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, it scooped up two Oscars and a Golden Globe for Best Musical/Comedy.
It’s not just a single film—there’s a gigantic franchise: Broadway show, direct-to-video sequels, spin-off TV series, a realistic-looking remake and, yes, a prequel film now as well.

As for Nick Jonas himself, next up for him on screen is Power Ballad—hence why he and Paul Rudd were doing promo duties together. If you were wondering what movie stars get misty-eyed over, now you know: cartoon lions, emotional dads, and plane journeys.