The Little Mermaid: 5 things to know about the cast

The Little Mermaid is set to release on May 26, 2023, and has created a lot of buzz online. Disney has been trying to diversify its cast and the upcoming title will feature the first black Ariel.

The Disney original of 1989 featured a cast consisting of Jodi Benson, Pat Caroll, Buddy Hackett, and more. The 1989 film took theaters by storm and made over $100 million at the box office. It was the first animated feature to garner such numbers and became a blockbuster almost instantly.

Disney has recently been making live-action versions of its previously successful movies like Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch. So, it is only expected that the company will try to replicate its success with The Little Mermaid live-action movie. The cast of the new film has caught the attention of the audience due to its diversity.

Besides Halle Bailey, Disney has diversified its cast for The Little Mermaid. The film will feature Simone Ashley, an actress of Indian descent, and Awkwafine, who is of Asian American ethnicity. The Little Mermaid will also feature stars like Melissa McCarthy, Jacob Tremblay, and Jessica Alexander.

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The Little Mermaid: 5 things fans did not know about Hailey Bailey, Jacob Tremblay, and other cast members

1) Hailey Bailey makes history as first black Ariel

Disney faced a lot of backlash after it cast Halle Bailey in the titular role in The Little Mermaid. Many have argued that the actress would not be able to do justice to the character, who was initially drawn with fiery red hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.

Despite these controversies, many have rightfully pointed out that mermaids are fictional beings and do not have any ties to reality. Hence, their race should not matter as much. In fact, many have lauded Disney for its inclusive casting.

It is worth noting that since its first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Disney has released a total of 59 movies, and only 11 of them had non-white lead stars.

While many are still against the idea, an overwhelmingly positive response from several individuals online has helped balance the scale. Halle Bailey herself spoke to The Face about how representation is necessary, saying:

"It's so important for us to see ourselves."

Halle Bailey rose to fame with her singing and songwriting. She is one half of the famous musical duo Chloe x Halle with her sister Chlöe Bailey. Together, they have five Grammy award nominations. She has also ventured into acting and took on a role in the popular sitcom Grown-ish, for which she has received many award nominations.

Needless to say, she has proven her caliber in the industry, and fans are now eager to see her play Ariel in The Little Mermaid.

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2) Melissa McCarthy begged director Rob Marshall for the role of Ursula

The iconic Melissa McCarthy will be playing the role of Ursula in The Little Mermaid. She has been a fan of the 1989 original since she was in her early 20s. When she heard that there was going to be a live-action version of The Little Mermaid, she begged director Rob Marshall for the role as she told People:

"I threw myself in front of [his] car and begged him. I didn't really, but I did beg him to talk to me. That part's true. I've spent more time with Little Mermaid than probably any other movie, which I didn't really think about until Rob's like, 'Did you see this a few times?' I'm like, 'Well, [now that] you ask me, I've seen it a weird amount of times. Which could have frightened him. Luckily it didn't."

She told the publication that she was drawn to the role of Ursula. She expressed a desire to have a drink with the fictional character as she expressed her love for her.

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3) Awkwafina has no desire to replicate Buddy Hackett's role as Scuttle

Awkwafina is an Asian American rapper, actress, and comedian. The actress will play the role of Ariel's 'mersister' named Scuttle, in The Little Mermaid. While talking to Screenrant, she expressed that she has no desire to replicate the iconic role that Buddy Hackett played in the original The Little Mermaid. Instead, she wanted to make the role her own.

She said:

“Aw, man. Buddy Hackett’s performance in the original is so good and so memorable, and I think you can’t duplicate that performance. The Scuttle that we’ve grown up with is Scuttle, but what I definitely did want to incorporate was that Scuttle is a nosybody, she’s a meddler and she’s also very neurotic, so I feel like those came easy. It was so fun to play Scuttle.”

Awkwafina has been part of films like Crazy Rich Asians, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ocean’s 8, Renfield, and more. She also has a Golden Globe to her name for her outstanding performance in The Farewell.

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4) Jacob Tremblay's role as Flounder in The Little Mermaid will mark his second Disney aquatic-themed film

The 16-year-old actor rose to fame with his roles in The Room and Wonder. This is not the first time Tremblay has worked with the production house. In fact, he was also seen in Disney's aquatic-themed film Luca.

He will be playing the role of Flounder in The Little Mermaid. While talking to Collider, he expressed how much he liked what Rob Marshall did with Flounder's character in The Little Mermaid and said:

“I really like what they did with Flounder's character design. I won't say too much, but it's really cool."

He has been tight-lipped around any information about the character. His Luca co-star Jack Dylan Grazer reportedly asked him about the role to know if Flounder would be animated, but he received silence and a smile in return.

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5) Javier Bardem took on the role of King Triton for his children

Javier Bardem is a versatile actor who has made a name for himself in movies like No Country For Old Men, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Eat Pray Love, Skyfall, Mother!, and more. He has an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award to his name so far.

While talking to Just Jared, he mentioned that he took on the role in the film for his children.

He mentioned:

“When I was offered the movie, I was on a breakfast with my two kids and then I said, ‘Well, they are talking about being in The Little Mermaid, and my daughter got so emotional and I said, ‘But I’m not playing Ariel. I’m not playing Ariel.’ [She said,] ‘Of course not Dad. You will be Triton, right?’ I said, ‘Yes.’”

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The Little Mermaid will premiere on May 26, 2023. It has been one of the most talked about Disney projects in recent times and fans can't wait to see what it brings to the table.