Oscars 2017: Jimmy Kimmel, Sunny Pawar's 'Lion King' Moment Divides Twitter

In a nod to the 1994 classic The Lion King, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel lifted up Lion star Sunny Pawar at the Academy Awards - and both the Dolby Theatre and social media erupted. When Kimmel asked a cute-as-a-button Sunny Pawar if he had enjoyed The Lion King, the latter replied in the affirmative. Kimmel then proceeded to lift the 8-year-old up, in a moment reminiscent of Rafiki holding up Simba in the movie, as The Lion King soundtrack filled the auditorium.

The exchange between the two won them both many fans on social media, and you can watch it here:
 

.@JimmyKimmel lifts 8-year-old "Lion" actor Sunny Pawar into the air in reenactment of "Lion King" scene. https://t.co/HnlDqe809w #Oscars pic.twitter.com/7S3YskFsLw

- ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2017

Some people loved The Lion King recreation.
 

I AM LIVING FOR THIS SUNNY PAWAR LION KING MOMENT OMG OMG OMG #Oscars

- Lizbeth (@bethalizz) February 27, 2017

This #LionKing tribute with Sunny Pawar is another level. And ending with more candy. It's too much (in the best way)! #Oscars

- Landmark Theatres (@LandmarkLTC) February 27, 2017

Lion King + Sunny Pawar are my two current favourite things in the world together.

- Dhiya Kuriakose (@DhiyaKuriakose) February 27, 2017

However, many came out to say that they found the moment racist and weird.
 

He would NOT have held up a little white kid like Simba and played the song from Lion King--nope, not even for a film called "Lion." #oscars

- Elaine Welteroth (@ElaineWelteroth) February 27, 2017

Yeah...that whole picking up the little brown boy with the Lion King theme music thing was kinda racist. Actually, not kinda. Definitely.

- VSB (@VerySmartBros) February 27, 2017

I'm sure using Sunny Pawar as a prop looked good on paper....actually I'm not.

- Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 27, 2017

So...that Lion King skit was racist, yes?

- Angela (@APaolucci) February 27, 2017

Because nothing says "we're not racist" like a white Hollywood elite lifting up a colored minority kid like Simba w/ Lion King music #oscars

- kuh-laire (@eclairelouisa) February 27, 2017

Some others, however, tried to counter the racism narrative by saying that there was nothing racist about the Kimmel-Pawar Lion King moment, pointing out that Pawar worked in a movie called Lion:
 

How the hell was the lion King moment at the Oscars racist?? Jimmy was poking fun at the movie LITERALLY BEING NAMED "LION". #Oscars

- Kierstyn Connell (@sestra_khaleesi) February 27, 2017

I don't see how the lion king joke was connected to anything racist I'm sorry

- y (@ADAMPARlSH) February 27, 2017

Kimmel isn't racist for holding the boy up to reenact The Lion King. He was in a movie called "Lion."

(@samanthakatz__) February 27, 2017

An adorable TINY kid. IN the movie "LION." It was not out of nowhere and it was not racist. #Oscars #jimmykimmel #lionking

- Molly Jones (@RealMollyJones) February 27, 2017

Lion is the story of a 5-year-old boy, Saroo, who gets lost in Kolkata and has to fend for himself before he is adopted by an Australian couple. Mumbai kid Sunny Pawar essays the role of the younger Saroo in the movie.

Did you find The Lion King moment problematic? Let us know in the comments section below.