Which hyena is voiced by Whoopi Goldberg?

Which hyena is voiced by Whoopi Goldberg? Whoopi Goldberg voiced Shenzi in The Lion King (1994).

Shenzi is the female leader of the hyena trio that also includes Banzai and Ed. She is portrayed as sharp-tongued, assertive, and quick to challenge both her fellow hyenas and Scar. Goldberg’s recognizable comic delivery gives Shenzi a forceful personality while keeping the character’s menace grounded in humor.

The role emerged from a casting change. Disney initially intended to reunite the comedy duo Cheech & Chong as hyenas, but Tommy Chong was unavailable. Cheech Marin remained and voiced Banzai; the other role was rewritten as a female hyena, Shenzi, for Goldberg. Jim Cummings voiced Ed, the largely nonverbal hyena who communicates mainly through laughter.

Viewers sometimes confuse Shenzi with Banzai because the pair frequently share dialogue, or with Scar because all three hyenas serve Scar’s ambitions. Shenzi is not the lion villain: she is one of the spotted hyenas who help Scar seize control of the Pride Lands, only to become part of the disorder that follows.