
Broadway actress Imani Dia Smith, who starred as Young Nala in The Lion King, has died at the age of 26. According to prosecutors, Smith was found at a residence in Edison, New Jersey, with stab wounds following a 911 call received at 9:18 a.m. on Dec. 21 and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, identified by a family member as Smith’s boyfriend, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. “Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving, and fiercely talented person,” wrote Smith’s aunt, Kira Helper, who started a GoFundMe to cover Smith’s funeral expenses, as well as therapy and ongoing care for her three-year-old son. Helper wrote that Smith’s Broadway performance was “an experience that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she brought into the world.” Money from the GoFundMe—which has so far raised over $60,000—will be given to Smith’s parents, Monique Rance-Helper and Rawni Helper.


















