Here's the cast of Disney's live-action 'Little Mermaid' remake and who they're playing (2024)

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"Grownish" star Halle Bailey stars as Ariel, the titular mermaid.

In the original movie, 16-year-old Ariel was fascinated by humans and desperately wanted to experience their world.

The remake, directed by Rob Marshall, includes music from the original movie, plus new tracks developed by EGOT winner Alan Menken and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Miranda told Variety that the film has "three or four original tunes, replacing none of the ones you like. All of those are in."

The musician also said that there will be music inspired by Ariel's time on land.

"She experiences a lot of firsts, as someone with legs for the first time," Miranda said. "We got to lean into all of that musically."

Marshall told Deadline he was "proud" of the diverse cast assembled and said that there was "no agenda" in casting Bailey.

"We saw everybody, but it was hers," he said. "It had nothing to do with anything exterior. It had everything to do with the interior — what she brings to it, the beauty, the passion, the fierceness, the vulnerability, the joy, the heart. Everything that she has was what we were looking for with Ariel."

The first teaser trailer for the film, released at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, in September, gave fans their first look at Bailey's stunning rendition of "Part of Your World."

"Ariel is not afraid to show her strength and her passion," Bailey told Variety of her version of the Disney princess. "There's so much power in all that she is and the fact that she is just so headstrong and willing to go for what she wants, I think, is more clear in this film."

Rising star Jonah Hauer-King plays Prince Eric.

Prince Eric fell in love with Ariel a few days after she saved him from drowning in the ocean.

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Javier Bardem portrays King Triton, Ariel's protective father and ruler of the sea.

In the 1989 film, he had seven daughters and Ariel was the youngest of them.

Triton constantly warned Ariel to not swim to the surface because he viewed humans as "barbarians."

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Melissa McCarthy stars as the sea witch named Ursula.

Ursula used to live in the underwater palace but was banished and exiled. So, to get revenge against King Triton, she gave Ariel a potion that gave her legs and enabled her to be among the humans.

She also tricked the mermaid into sacrificing her beautiful voice.

McCarthy's version of Ursula is Ariel's "evil aunt." This was confirmed by a 2023 cover story by Entertainment Weekly, which noted that in this film, Ursula is the estranged sister of King Triton.

The actor told USA Today that Ursula is "one of my absolute favorite villains so to play her was delicious."

"You're flying around singing and spinning in these crazy contraptions and up on wires. What's not to love?" she added.

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"Hamilton" and "Snowpiercer" star Daveed Diggs voices Sebastian the crab.

Sebastian acted as a confidant to King Triton and kept tabs on Ariel for him in the original movie.

Diggs told Collider that he "worked harder on Sebastian probably than I have for any role in my life."

"Room" and "Good Boys" star Jacob Tremblay voices the fish named Flounder.

Flounder was loyal to Ariel and accompanied the mermaid on her adventures.

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Actor and comedian Awkwafina voices Scuttle the seagull.

In the 1989 movie, the clumsy bird considered himself an expert on humans and their inventions – like the fork, which he called a "dinglehopper."

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"The Undoing" star Noma Dumezweni plays Queen Selina, Prince Eric's mom.

Back in January 2021, Deadline reported that the actor, who portrayed Hermione Granger in productions of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" on Broadway and the West End, would play a character that wasn't part of the animated "Little Mermaid" film.

Dumezweni's role was revealed in a cover story for Entertainment Weekly, released in April 2023.

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"Get Even" star Jessica Alexander landed the role of Vanessa, Ursula's human alter ego.

Deadline reported the casting news in March 2021.

Alexander was tight-lipped about who she'd be portraying, but shared screenshots of the article on Instagram with the caption: "things are starting to feel a lil different ........"

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"Bridgerton" star Simone Ashley has a part in the movie as one of Ariel's sisters, named Indira.

According to a feature on Ashley published by The Sunday Times in March 2022, Ashley has a "small role" in the movie.

The actor also alluded to her involvement in the project when she told Elle Singapore that she was "filming on a Disney movie" when she learned that she was offered the role of Kate Sharma in season two of "Bridgerton."