Getting into character with the cast of ‘The Little Mermaid’

Opening nationwide on May 26, 2023, the live-action reimagining of the 1989 animated classic was directed by Academy Award nominee Rob Marshall (“Chicago,” “Mary Poppins Returns”) and stars Halle Bailey as mermaid princess Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as sea witch Ursula.

At the press conference, moderated by “Entertainment Tonight” co-host Nischelle Turner, Bailey, and McCarthy dished about their characters with the other leading actors of “The Little Mermaid,” including Javier Bardem (King Triton), Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric), Awkwafina (Scuttle), Daveed Diggs (Sebastian), Jacob Tremblay (Flounder), and Noma Dumezweni (Queen Selina). An additional discussion was held immediately afterward with Rob Marshall, producer John DeLuca, and composer Alan Menken, who also wrote the music for the animated movie, along with the late Howard Ashman.

The night before the conference, the cast and filmmakers walked the blue carpet on Hollywood Boulevard for the film’s premiere at the Dolby Theater. “It was a dream come true for all of us,” said Marshall. “It was very emotional. It’s taken us four-and-a-half years to create this film.” Watching the movie on the giant Dolby screen, with many of the cast and crew seeing the finished film for the first time, was, as Marshall described it, “one of the great moments in our lives.”         

But, as Marshall knows, for a movie to hit home with audiences, the filmmakers must nail a crucial element: casting. The actors of “The Little Mermaid” divulged details about stepping into these beloved characters and making them all their own.

Halle Bailey as Ariel

Ariel, a headstrong mermaid princess who longs to live in the human world, is an iconic animated character originally voiced by Disney Legend Jodi Benson. Though Ariel is Bailey’s first leading film role, early reviews of “The Little Mermaid” have been mostly positive—check out our review here—with particular praise for the five-time Grammy Award nominee’s performance.

Bailey won the role through a lengthy and intense audition process, leaving director Rob Marshall in tears when he first heard her rendition of “Part of Your World,” according to producer John DeLuca.

“When [Bailey] first auditioned and sang the song for us, I turned to Rob, and there were tears streaming down his face,” DeLuca revealed.

“I mean, here’s the thing,” Marshall responded. “The first actor we saw for this role was Halle.” When Bailey shut her eyes and began to sing, Marshall couldn’t believe what he heard. “I just thought, ‘She’s so deeply connected to what she’s singing about. It’s so emotional. It’s so beautiful.’ And I thought, ‘We’ve been doing this for five minutes. Have we found Ariel?’ And we had.”

Marshall and the casting department did their due diligence in auditioning multiple actresses for Ariel, but they ultimately returned to Bailey. The film began production when Bailey was just 19 years old, and she immediately felt a kinship with the role.

“Ariel truly has helped me find myself,” the now 23-year-old Bailey shared.

She especially connected with Ariel’s passion, drive, and how the character speaks up for herself and goes after what she wants. “I feel like those things I really try to adopt and give to Halle now,” Bailey confessed.

Despite the grueling filming process, which required Bailey to swim deftly through water tanks and hang suspended from rigs at London’s famed Pinewood Studios, the actress found moments of fun with co-star Hauer-King, who plays Ariel’s love interest, Prince Eric.

When filming the shipwreck scene during which Ariel saves Eric from drowning, awkwardness ensues. “So, we were both trying to survive this moment and in the tank at Pinewood, it’s so intense,” said Bailey. “When they turn on the thunder and lightning and fires around us, and the waves, it feels like you’re in the middle of the ocean, like actually in the middle of a thunderstorm.”

Hauer-King had to lie motionless in the water tank while the petite Bailey struggled to keep him afloat and avoid being stepped on by his heavy boots. Luckily, both actors walked away unscathed and carried the humor of the moment through the rest of the filming process.

Regarding the entire cast, Bailey said, “I feel like they’re my family, and they’re so talented and have inspired me for so long…I’m just happy to be surrounded by them.”

Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric

Hauer-King has experience performing in period dramas, having appeared in the miniseries “Howard’s End” and the BBC series “Little Women,” but playing a crush-worthy Disney prince is on a whole other level for the actor, who turns 28 on May 30, 2023.

“It’s a great privilege,” Hauer-King acknowledged about his starring role. “It’s a huge honor, but I think what’s special about this is…the whole film feels very grounded in reality. So, the Disney prince and the Disney princess aspect of it is amazing, and it’s fun and exciting, but I think watching it last night made me realize that for all of us, even though we’re living in this fantasy space, it just feels really connected to the world and to the real world.”

“I mean, being a Disney prince is weird, isn’t it?” Hauer-King joked. “It’s kind of weird.”

Singing on film was also a new step for Hauer-King, who was apprehensive about how his musical number would be received. “It is horrendous to sing in a film with a Grammy-nominated artist,” quipped Hauer-King, referencing co-star Bailey’s successful music career. But the positive response at the premiere eased some of his insecurities. “I think the reaction from the audience to all of the music was incredible. It felt like such a warm reaction…it was quite special.”

A grounding force for Hauer-King on-screen and off was Noma Dumezweni, who plays a new character in the 2023 film, Prince Eric’s mother, Queen Selina. The actress also took on a maternal role with Hauer-King, checking in with him throughout production and in the days leading up to the film’s premiere.

“Noma keeps coming up to me and going, ‘Are you okay? Are you ready? Is this alright?’” Hauer-King shared. “She looks after me like my mum. She was so good to me.”

The friendship-based romance between Ariel and Eric also provided Hauer-King with a solid foundation for his performance, and he enjoyed bringing aspects of himself into the role to deepen the love story. According to Hauer-King, he and Bailey approached Ariel and Eric as “two people who were kindred spirits” who connected over their restlessness and desire to see more of the world.

“Disney romances are always…filled with that instinctive attraction to one another. We all wanna see that,” Hauer-King admitted. But the Ariel and Eric of the 2023 film have more in common than just attraction.

The characters “felt like they were behind the walls of their respective castles, and very much looking outwards and not in,” said Hauer-King. “And I think what’s nice about that was that it meant that their relationship felt really earnt. They both felt like they were teaching each other things. They were excited and fascinated by each other’s worlds, although they didn’t actually know it until the end.”             

Hauer-King discussed the romantic themes of the film with co-star McCarthy. “Actually, Melissa said this yesterday, that I think it’s a really good message for what it means to be in love and what it means to be in a relationship [that] is ultimately tied to friendship.” Hauer-King added, “That’s why it lasts, and that’s what makes it special.”

Melissa McCarthy as Ursula

Though McCarthy’s sinister sea witch Ursula is out to thwart Ariel and Eric’s romantic connection, the Academy Award-nominated actress was thrilled to support her young co-stars.

The actress has trouble keeping emotions at bay when she watches Bailey sing “Part of Your World.” McCarthy laughed about her predictable reaction to the song. “Every time I see it, I’m like, ‘Oh God, oh God.’ It was like, ‘I know it’s coming. Don’t, oh.’” And then the tears would flow. “I was trying so desperately not to cry every time you sang a melody,” she said to Bailey.

McCarthy is best known for her killer comedic timing in movies like “Bridesmaids,” but she has also conquered dramatic work in films such as “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” She earned Oscar nominations for both projects.      

When asked about the best part of filming “The Little Mermaid,” McCarthy answered, “every little minute of it.” She joked about the “crazy 60-foot clamshell” set piece and praised Marshall and his theater-inspired directing style, which included ample rehearsal time, a rarity in film making.

“Rob Marshall, I think we all agree, sets up this world that is…why I fell in love with plays,” McCarthy gushed. “It feels so small, and yet you know it’s this enormous thing.” And Marshall was the perfect cheerleader for the cast. “Everyone’s doing their best, and he’s just there wrapped and swaddled in cashmere, just cheering quietly.”

As the cast laughed at McCarthy’s description of Marshall’s penchant for luxury fabrics, she added that the director was supportive and appreciative of everyone on set, from the actors to the cinematographers to the costumers to the sound department. “Having a cheerleader like that is, like, I can’t even explain how fortunate I feel, and I’m sure all of us feel, too,” raved McCarthy.

But it wasn’t just the exhilaration of filming that left McCarthy feeling like she was floating on air. She also revealed that she rarely touched the ground in a literal sense, as she was often hooked to a rig to create the illusion that Ursula was moving underwater. “And there’s an amazing team of dancers and stunt people that just kind of were our fins or feet,” McCarthy shared of the unusual filming process.

The overall experience seemed magical for McCarthy, who was fascinated and impressed by all the people and the moving parts it took to create the film. Adding a last bit of praise for the production, she said, “It was this wonderful, glorious ensemble in every little piece.”

Javier Bardem as King Triton

Father of two Javier Bardem received a bit of teasing from co-star Hauer-King, who joked that it must be nice that his kids can watch “The Little Mermaid” because “‘No Country for Old Men’ probably not so much, right?”

Bardem facetiously responded, “At least they know that I have a job.”

Bardem won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the Coen Brothers’ drama “No Country for Old Men,” and the actor is widely praised for his commanding—and often menacing—on-screen presence. However, to play King Triton, Ariel’s father in “The Little Mermaid,” Bardem had to shift his powerful bearing in another direction to that of an authoritative but ultimately loving father.

When asked if he had paternal feelings toward Bailey during filming, Bardem answered, “Oh, yes. Right in the moment I met her, I just fell for her,” he enthused. “I mean, she has this thing where you just can’t help yourself but love her unconditionally.”

Bardem had nothing but the highest praise for Bailey, adding, “I was always mesmerized by the quality of her as a performer, let alone the singing that I knew. But as an actress, how willing and courageous she is.”

Tapping into his experience as a parent, Bardem shared how he differentiated King Triton from his previous roles. According to Bardem, Triton has confused his “fear and insecurity” with his love for his daughter. “But he’s blocking her from being free,” he explained.

One of the film’s themes that Bardem found most touching was that “the adults learn from their kids.” In a fashion similar to the Capulets and Montagues in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” minus the tragic ending, King Triton and Queen Selina understand love through the eyes of their teenage children. “It’s always respecting other people’s journey,” Bardem articulated, especially when those people happen to be your kids.

Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina

For Noma Dumezweni, a veteran stage actress who has won two Laurence Olivier Awards in her native England, embodying a royal figure like Queen Selina is as easy as slipping into a fabulous gown.

“A good costume by Colleen Atwood always works for me,” she wisecracked. “Give me a good costume, give me good hair, and I’m very happy.”

Of course, Dumezweni is speaking humbly. She is a committed and talented performer who has received rave reviews during her illustrious theatre career. She has trod the boards of London’s most prestigious stages, performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and originated the role of Hermione Granger in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” on the West End. She again played Hermione during the show’s original Broadway run and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

In addition to her theater credits, Dumezweni has appeared on a variety of T.V. shows, most recently Netflix’s “The Watcher,” and previously worked with director Rob Marshall as Miss Penny Farthing in Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns.”

Like Bardem, Dumezweni was able to tap into her parental instincts to play Prince Eric’s mother, as the actress is a mom in real life. “My daughter was 12 when I got this gig, and she just turned 16 a few weeks ago,” she shared, referring to the long production process.

Dumezweni was asked if she faced any challenges playing the only new character not original to the animated version of “The Little Mermaid.” She gracefully answered, “In the loveliest of ways, no challenges.”

Dumezweni placed her trust in Marshall, casting director Bernard Telsey, and others at Disney involved in the casting who expressed their enthusiasm for having her be a part of the film. “They know the story inside and out,” she said. “They’ve done their work. All I do is just trust the people I’m working with.”

And a stunning period costume by Academy Award-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood doesn’t hurt either.

Awkwafina as Scuttle

Awkwafina missed out on the chance to wear a gorgeous costume for her work in “The Little Mermaid,” but that didn’t make her opportunity to play wacky seabird Scuttle any less appealing.

Like Bailey with Ariel, Awkwafina felt a kinship with Scuttle, quipping, “I am Scuttle. Like after, like, two margaritas on a Tuesday.”

Voicing what she describes as a “neurotic” CGI animated bird—specifically a Northern Gannet—is nothing unusual for the actress, rapper, and comedian. She’s lent her voice to various animated creatures over the years (and specifically for Disney as Sisu in “Raya and the Last Dragon“).

Awkwafina confessed that her process when recording the role of Scuttle didn’t include “steaming or, like, exercise,” or abstaining from going out the night before and taking B12 vitamins. In reality, she just gets out of bed and shows up. “Usually, I’m in Crocs. And I’m just like, all right, let’s run it.”

Her straightforward approach is a testament to her well-honed comedic skills, which are on full display in her starring role in “Nora from Queens,” a Comedy Central series on which she is also a writer and executive producer. She has also notably played memorable supporting roles in “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Jumanji: The Next Level,” and “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

While recording a voice role is usually an isolated endeavor, Awkwafina, Diggs, and Tremblay had the opportunity to record their scenes with each other. “Usually, you know, you’re in the booth and…like, the directors just read [the lines] with you,” she said. But recording with her fellow voice actors allowed her to play off their energies and line readings.

“There were other people in the room, too. It was, like, pretty crazy. And that one day is where most of our performances came from,” Awkwafina shared.

The actress clearly doesn’t take herself, or her footwear, too seriously. But, just as Scuttle provides comedic relief in the fantastical fairy tale, Awkwafina kept the cast and crew of “The Little Mermaid” laughing off-screen.

Jacob Tremblay as Flounder              

At just 16 years old, Jacob Tremblay is already a veteran T.V. and film actor with more than 30 credits on his resume. Known for films like “Room” and “Wonder” and as the voice actor for the titular character in Pixar’s “Luca,” Tremblay won the role of Flounder in “The Little Mermaid” before he became a teenager.

Though Tremblay wasn’t born when the original animated movie was released in 1989, he was familiar with “The Little Mermaid” before being cast in the live-action film. “I don’t remember not knowing about the movie and not knowing the characters…it’s still, like, a big part of my childhood, and I love the film,” Tremblay shared.

Tremblay returned to the animated movie for research to prepare for his role as Ariel’s trepidatious fish friend. “I did definitely watch it quite a few times before going to film because I did wanna make sure that, you know, when people watch the film, they felt like it was Flounder, because obviously there’s a lot of things that I had to embody, like his…anxiety and his anxiousness. But at the same time, I wanted to make sure I made him my own,” Tremblay said.

Along with Awkwafina, Tremblay also favored the voice actors recording together in person and being able to “riff off each other,” as he put it. “I mean, we were all together for quite some time in the studio in England. And we just got to know each other so well. And that definitely really helped with the voice work.” He added, “It was definitely a privilege that we all got to be together, and we got to do our scenes together.”

One aspect of his performance that especially worried Tremblay was the singing required for the role. Flounder notably chimes in on “Kiss the Girl,” and the actor admitted it was his first time singing “other than, like, in the shower, if that even counts.”

Tremblay worked with a vocal coach who taught him warm-ups to prepare his voice for recording. “It was a bunch of, like, tongue twisters. And I got good at them after a while. I liked it,” he remarked.

The support of his castmates was also a key element of his success in his first singing role. “I will say that it was really fun,” he enthused. “I was really nervous at the start, obviously. But everyone was there, kind of cheering me on, so after a while, I felt really comfortable and just had fun with it. And, you know, if you miss a note… it’s not even that big of a deal.”

After moderator Nischelle Turner noted that Tremblay hadn’t missed any notes in his song, Tremblay laughed and replied, “No, that’s just ’cause they didn’t keep it in the movie, but I did. I definitely did.”

As for helping to introduce “The Little Mermaid” to a whole new generation, Tremblay said, “I’m really excited to be able to show it to my family. And I think it’s really important that all children can watch a movie and really see themselves in the characters.”

Daveed Diggs as Sebastian                                                   

Broadway enthusiasts are already well-acquainted with Daveed Diggs, who originated the roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the smash hit musical “Hamilton,” earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.

The actor, writer, rapper, and singer-songwriter has also been seen on the T.V. series “Black-ish” and “Snowpiercer,” and in the films “Wonder” (with co-star Tremblay) and “Velvet Buzzsaw.” He also wrote, produced, and starred in the movie “Blindspotting,” for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

Still, even with these high-profile projects and accolades, “The Little Mermaid” and his role of Sebastian hold a special place with Diggs. Moderator Nischelle Turner shared that Diggs had told her “The Little Mermaid” was “the coolest thing” he’d ever worked on before the press conference began. He clarified Turner’s comment, remarking that, though everything about the production of “The Little Mermaid” was massive, the rehearsal and recording process felt intimate.

“We worked on it like it was a small thing. At least in that work session, it really felt like we were kind of doing, like, community theater,” shared Diggs. “We were pushing boxes around, like, to make sets, you know what I’m saying? And we got in this groove where it was like, that’s how you make art. We made something that we understood, that everybody could wrap their arms around, and that we really believed in and knew inside and out.”

When Diggs attended the film’s premiere, he was shocked by the spectacle and scale of it all. “So to show up when they’re shutting down the street and, like, the posters are huge, and then you watch the film and it’s massive, on this massive screen…it’s a whole world that I never saw at all, you know what I’m saying?” he marveled.

“I recorded some voices, and I dipped,” Diggs joked of his role.

Returning to the wonder he felt at the premiere, he added, “It is really cool to see a thing that you thought only existed in your imagination. It really felt like we were just building a world in our heads, but then it was there on the screen.”                                      

Knowing the multi-generational influence that Disney films carry, Diggs and his co-stars are sure to feel the ripple effects of their work on “The Little Mermaid” far into the future.

“The Little Mermaid” opened in theaters nationwide on May 26, 2023. Also beginning on May 26, 2023, Ariel from the live-action movie will meet guests in Disneyland park and in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.