Noma Dumezweni, who broke out playing Hugh Grant’s defense lawyer in HBO’s “The Undoing,” has joined the cast of Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.”
Actress and singer Halle Bailey will star as Ariel. Melissa McCarthy is playing evil aunt Ursula and Javier Bardem is set to play King Triton. British actor Jonah Hauer-King is set to play Prince Eric.
Rob Marshall is directing, and the film is produced by John DeLuca, Marc Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. David Magee (“Mary Poppins Returns”) wrote the script.
Dumezweni’s ‘Mermaid’ role was not disclosed, but according to Deadline the part was created for her.
“The Little Mermaid” will feature the 1989 animated classic’s original songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as new songs with music by Menken and lyrics by Miranda. Jessica Virtue and Allison Erlikhman are overseeing for Disney.
The original “The Little Mermaid” follows Ariel, a teenage mermaid who dreams of living on the surface world and marrying Prince Eric. Her fortunes change when a sea witch named Ursula offers to send Ariel to the human world in exchange for her beautiful voice. It won two Oscars for Disney for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “Under the Sea.”
Dumezweni most recently starred in “The Undoing” opposite Grant and Nicole Kidman. She was also recently seen in Hulu’s adaptation of “Normal People” and will next be seen in “Made For Love,” also for HBO.
Dumezweni is repped by Principal Entertainment and Conway van Gelder Grant.
Deadline first reported the news.
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