Rapper-turned-actress Awkwafina and child star Jacob Tremblay are in talks to join the cast of Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
The Crazy Rich Asians star has been tapped to voice seagull character Scuttle, while The Room actor Tremblay is in negotiations to bring tropical fish Flounder to life, reports Deadline.
The casting details emerge three days after director Rob Marshall reportedly approached Melissa McCarthy and asked her to star as Ursula, the mermaid star Ariel’s nemesis. Her deal has yet to be finalized, but one person unhappy with the news is musician Lizzo, who took to Twitter on Friday, shortly after McCarthy’s name was attached to the role of the sea witch, and insisted she was better suited for the part.
Reposting a Variety article about The Little Mermaid development, she added a sad face emoji, and shared a video clip of herself dressed as Ursula for Halloween last year (2018), complete with purple body paint, as she belted out a rendition of the film’s track Poor Unfortunate Souls.
“I’M URSULA. PERIOD. @Disney,” she captioned the footage.
Disney bosses have yet to respond to Lizzo’s appeal.
The new version of The Little Mermaid, a remake of the beloved 1989 animated film, is expected to move into production early next year (2020).
