Disney fans are eagerly awaiting the much anticipated release of the new Little Mermaid film. This? Is a little sneak peek into the disney little mermaid characters …..who they are (who ISN'T present in the live-action version ) , and why they are such a significant part of the beloved story of ariel and the upcoming film.
Ok original animated film fans…….the time is almost here, the disney’s the little mermaid live-action remake is releasing VERY soon. Like so many of you, I grew up seeing the original film in movie theaters and have been trying to learn AS much as I can about the live action version. Now, let's be honest….there has been VERY little information about which disney little mermaid characters would be present in the new film (aside from the obvious young mermaid , dashing prince eric and well known main characters )…..so when I had the opportunity to sit down with the cast and creators of the film? I took the opportunity to learn as much as I could about the film and what the disney little mermaid characters mean to these talented creatives.
Disney little mermaid characters : who are they?
One of the most interesting things about this amazing cast? It's a combination of voicing CGI and animated characters and then live action cast members. I love that we have both in this film.
Returning Characters : Live Action
Ariel (played by actress halle bailey ) : the heroine of our story is none other than the youngest daughter of the Sea King, and she is definitely an endearing main character. Ariel craves adventure, worlds beyond the ocean that she knows, and…..she makes it happen. Just like in the original film, princess ariel ‘s siren song and golden singing voice are a huge part of this story…so trust, you'll hear halle singing some of those most memorable songs from the beloved disney classic .
Eric (played by jonah hauer-king ) : Just like in the animated film, Ariel's true love interest? The adventurous prince Eric. She initially encounters him as he serves as the head sailor on a voyage through her father's waters and….the rest is history. When Ariel imagines being a part of the human world , prince eric's palace is the center of that dream.
King Triton (played by javier bardem ) : the head of the royal family under the sea is none other than the gruff, strict and totally loveable king triton himself. Javier Bardem plays this overprotective father and images we've seen so far? AMAZING.
Ursula (played by melissa mccarthy ) : can you think of anyone better than melissa mccarthy to play the evil sea witch ? Just like her role in the original disney film , ursula will be the villain who tempts Ariel with the possibility of human legs and a life with her human prince.
Returning disney little mermaid characters : Voice Characters
Flounder (voiced by jacob tremblay ): ariel's best friend is an important part of original movie and he's sure to be an important part of this version. The voice of flounder is none other than Jacob Tremblay (who voiced Luca in the recent animated film).
Sebastian (voiced by daveed diggs ): I can't imagine a better choice to play the voice of sebastian than the incomparable daveed diggs . The Hamilton alumni is perfect to play the anxious crab and to truly tap into sebastian's emotional range and his nuanced experience.
Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina ): Awkwafina is not a newbie to voicing Disney characters (she also voiced Sisu in Raya and the Last Dragon ). To say that she has good comedic timing is an understatement. Her talents will bring a whole new amount of fun to scuttle's eccentricities and entertaining personality.
New disney little mermaid characters
Queen Selina ( played by noma dumezweni ): When the disney little mermaid characters and cast were announced, there were lots of questions around Queen Selina…..an all new character. Queen Selina is Prince Eric's mother and an important character in the film.
In the new film, we also see all of king triton’s daughters in a new way. We DON'T see chef louis at all.
Why are the disney little mermaid characters and casting important to the Cast and Creators?
Now, y'all know how strongly I feel about representation in film and children's entertainment. You also know I love a Disney classic. I loved hearing WHY the disney little mermaid characters and casting choices are important to the amazing people who created this film during a recent press junket.
“I mean, I think that like you said, I think it reflects the world we live in. And I think that everyone deserves to see themselves on screen.” – Awkwafina
“I stood in line to see the Little Mermaid opening night in Oakland, like, you know, when it first came out. That was, it was just this moment of oh, yeah, this thing that was sort of a fundamental part of my childhood.” – daveed diggs
“And personally, I appreciate you all giving us something in this day and age that we can all identify with, that we can all see ourselves in, no matter what. Last night, Anika Noni Rose said to me, “This movie looks like the sea.” -Nischelle Turner
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