ABC has announced some of its lineup for The Little Mermaid Live!
The network cast Auli’I Cravalho, who was the voice behind Moana in the hit 2016 movie of the same name, as Ariel.
In perfect casting, Queen Latifah will play the sea witch, Ursula. The actress is known for her singing, rapping and acting chops and it’ll be fun to see her bring Ursula to life on screen.
The actress confirmed her casting with an Instagram post of herself as Ursula with the caption, “Fortunately I know a little magic.”
Joining the cast is Shaggy who will play Sebastian, Ariel’s crab sidekick.
The live musical event is set to air on Nov 5 as part of “The Wonderful World of Disney” franchise honoring the 30th anniversary of the movie.
The Little Mermaid Live! is described as a hybrid performance, like a Broadway play with clips from the original animated film.
Based on the press release, “This never-before-seen hybrid format will feature beautifully intricate sets and costumes, with music from the original animated film and the Tony Award-winning Broadway stage version.”
The show is not to be confused with Disney’s live action film which will star Halle Bailey as Ariel. According to reports, Harry Styles is in talks to play Ariel’s love interest, Prince Eric.
Also rumoured to costar in the live action film are Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton.
