As we get closer to the release of Disney’s live-action version of ‘The Little Mermaid,’ anticipation is mounting! And star Daveed Diggs is the most excited of all!
Diggs, who will voice Sebastian, Ariel’s crustacean sidekick, gave a recent interview where he discussed changes that were made to the story. As Disney continues to remake their classic films into live-action features, some edits have been made. So, it’s only natural that some changes have been made to the upcoming ‘Little Mermaid,’ as well.
Most of the discussion from Diggs centered around how Ariel controls her own fate in the story of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Diggs explained:
“Some of the updates they’ve done to the story are really important in terms of giving some more power back to Ariel. It’s fun to work on something that’s so intentional in the idea of ‘If we’re going to make this now, we’re not going to leave this alone as a time capsule.’ Let’s make it for now.”
Hopefully, fans will be on board with these changes. While most of the reactions have been positive, because humans are the worst, there has been criticism surrounding the choice to cast a black actress as a fictional, cartoon mermaid. Shocking. Many celebs have come forward to shut that mess down, including Disney itself, who had maybe the best response, saying:
“Ariel is…a mermaid.”
The original voice of Ariel, actress Jodi Benson, also jumped to Halle Bailey’s defense, saying:
“The most important thing is to tell the story. And we have, as a family, we have raised our children, and for ourselves, that we don’t see anything that’s different on the outside.”
She continued with:
“I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters. What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart, and their spirit, is what really counts. And the outside package — cause let’s face it, I’m really, really old — and so when I’m singing ‘Part of Your World,’ if you were to judge me on the way that I look on the outside, it might change the way that you interpret the song. But if you close your eyes, you can still hear the spirit of Ariel.”
‘The Little Mermaid’ has no official release date. Check back for more news as it becomes available!
