Halle Bailey is joined by Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, and Awkwafina in the new adaptation of the beloved Disney animated feature film musical classic, set to begin filming in 2021.
It’s official! The live-action / CGI adaptation of The Little Mermaid has gained an all-star, deep-sea cast. While we have known Halle Bailey (Grown-ish) will play the role of Ariel, a long-held fan casting has now been confirmed: Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, The Happytime Murders) will take on the role of Ursula. The casting directors are absolutely killing it. Bailey can actually sing, which is a major upgrade from the auto-tuned fiasco that was Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast. McCarthy is an equally genius choice, an actress that can be both kind or terribly malicious, and also has some serious singing chops.
Ariel’s CG buddies Flounder, Sebastian, and Scuttle have also been confirmed as Jacob Tremblay (Room, Doctor Sleep), Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Snowpiercer), and Awkwafina (Nora from Queens, Crazy Rich Asians) respectively. The role of Prince Eric, which was originally meant for Harry Styles before he turned it down, has gone to Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women, A Dog’s Way Home). King Triton, Ariel’s strict yet loving aquatic father will be played by Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Dune).
It is rumored the film will stray from the original by avoiding a frame-for-frame reshoot and changing up the iconic Alan Menken score. Executive producer Lin Manuel Miranda will most likely be developing a new Oscar-worthy song for the film.
Filming begins in 2021, but a release date has not yet been announced.
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—Laurén brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
