The live-action movie adaptation of The Little Mermaid is finally happening, but much is still unknown about the casting of some characters. Some of the rumors were widely speculated but were neither confirmed or denied. One of them was the casting of Melissa McCarthy.
In the latest interview with Variety, Melissa McCarthy was asked whether she was cast as Queen Latifah or not. She refused to confirm the news and teased saying she doesn’t know.
McCarthy is said to be in talks to play the Ursula for the big screen adaptation since June. She is being coquettish about the whole situation and has neither accepted nor contradicted the rumors of being approached for the role.
Meanwhile, McCarthy has expressed her excitement of watching the character coming to life.
Other Confirmed Cast
The cast of The Little Mermaid includes Halle Bailey, who will portray the iconic Disney princess Ariel. Joining her will be Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Awkwafina as Skuttle. Famous singer, Harry Styles of the One Direction fame, is in talks to play Prince Eric.
Marshall will be directing the film (Mary Poppins Returns). David Magee and Jane Goldman will write the script. The movie will feature original songs from the 1989 animated blockbuster. In addition to that, new tracks will be composed by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
About Melissa McCarthy
Melissa Ann McCarthy is the recipient of several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. She has received nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. McCarthy was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2016.
McCarthy is married to Ben Falcone. Together, they are the founders of the production company On the Day Productions. The pair have also collaborated on several comedy films. They have two daughters, Vivian, born May 2007, and Georgette, born March 2010.
Halle Bailey on #NotMyAriel
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Since the day it was decided that Halle Bailey will play the Princess Arial, Bailey was praised for Disney princess role, however, she also received some disagreement and started the hashtag #NotMyAriel, to which she responded, “This Role Is Something Bigger Than Me.”
Halle Bailey on her new #LittleMermaid role: “I don’t pay attention to the negativity; I just feel like this role is something bigger than me” https://t.co/pidgYYQ0lw pic.twitter.com/rmUxbFSuYY
— Variety (@Variety) August 7, 2019