Normally the debut of a classic film on Blu-ray like Disney's "The Lion King" is cause enough for celebration: But rarely is it preceded by a re-release of the film in 3D in theaters, much less a No. 1 debut at the box office and remaining in that position for a second consecutive weekend.

Needless to say it's a thrilling re-introduction to audiences for all parties involved in "The Lion King," particularly veteran star Robert Guillaume, who voices the role of Rafiki -- the mandrill baboon who serves as the visual narrator of the film.

"The opening took me by surprise because I never know what to think when a film opens," said Guillaume in a recent interview. "But when I see how works of art like 'The Lion King' grow and flourish, I'm overjoyed by that."

Guillaume's Rafiki is pivotal in "The Lion King" for many reasons, not the least of which his role in the opening scene where in an iconic film moment, he hoists the lion cub Simba up in the air on Pride Rock. Punctuated by the powerful strains of the Elton John/Tim Rice anthem "The Circle of Life," the opening celebration concludes with Rafiki's presentation of the future Lion King to the animal kingdom.

What Guillaume didn't realize when he was making the film was that he was destined to become a part of a classic scene that has not only held strong with moviegoers who first caught the film in theaters in 1994, but generations of children who came thereafter.

"It's a really, really powerful scene, and it resonates to a degree with kids that we can only imagine," Guillaume said. "I'm jazzed about that to no end. I never thought I'd be part of something that had that kind of sweep."

Guillaume, 83, said every actor wants to be part of a memorable scene in their lives, and he feels blessed he had that moment in this particular film.

"That's why we do what we do. But in so few instances does real, lasting success happen," Guillaume said. "Thankfully, since it's a part of 'The Lion King,' it will be around forever."

Making its debut on Blu-ray (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) Tuesday, "The Lion King" tells the story of Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas), who as a young cub who is tricked by his uncle, Scar (Jeremy Irons) to flee the kingdom. Wracked with guilt over a tragedy involving his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones) -- the reigning Lion King -- Simba is led to believe by the conniving Scar that he's responsible for the incident.

Finding a pair of oddball friends in the jungle in meerkat Timon (Nathan Lane) and warthog Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), Simba grows into an adult lion (Matthew Broderick) and appears content until he runs into his childhood lioness friend Nala (Moira Kelly).

Learning from Nala that Scar informed the village that he was dead, Simba returns to the kingdom to discover that it's under the oppressive rule of Scar and guarded by packs of vicious hyenas -- and the only way things can be turned around is if he fights to become the one true Lion King.

The Circle Continues

Guillaume said it's hard to pinpoint one particular reason why "The Lion King" continues to resonate with audiences, but he suspects it has something to do with it being a story about family.

"The storytelling is magic and miraculous -- and it's a big, big story of family," Guillaume said. "There are scenes in there that are so touching, from the fate of Mufasa and his philosophy about life, to the rise of Simba. It's just marvelous."

Despite being closer to the film while it was in production than most people on Earth -- and treasured member of the Disney animated family to this day, Guillaume said he managed to get just as lost in the film while viewing it 3D recently as much as the average moviegoers around him.

"That's what always amazes me, how I could be sitting in that theater yet the story was suspending my disbelief," Guillaume said. "You're taken right in. It took me through the same emotions that it took me through the first time I saw it. I got completely wrapped up in the storyline. The scenes stay right with you."

"The Lion King" differs from most films these days in that it was hand-drawn, a decidedly different method of filmmaking than the computer-generated artistry that results in most animated feature films today.

Guillaume said he isn't against computer-generated technology; he's just happy that he got to be a part of the legacy of traditional animation.

"We live in a faster society in a faster time, and you can't take the time anymore to do that kind of work -- even though when it's completed, it pays off," Guillaume said. "Now we can do it digitally and electronically, and perhaps it excites our imagination more. But there's no doubt of the lasting power of the lasting animation in something like 'The Lion King' and all of the old Disney animated films."