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Queen Latifah Cast as Ursula in ABC's 'The Little Mermaid' Live Event

Aug 09, 2019

02:20 P.M.

Queen Latifah is set to play Ursula on ABC's "The Little Mermaid" live concert, and fans are ecstatic. She co-stars in the special concert with Auli'i Cravalho, and Shaggy.

ABC's "The Little Mermaid" live special is about to happen once again, and this time it'll star "Moana" star Auli'i Cravalho as Ariel, Queen Latifah as Ursula, and Shaggy as Sebastian. This adaptation will be called "The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live!"

An Under-the-Sea Concert

The special will be a mix of live-action, animation, and puppetry, and will air on November 5 in celebration of the Disney classic's 30th anniversary.

Paying tribute to the animated classic and its music, the concert will feature live musical performances by the star-studded cast while still narrating its story.

A Live-Action Remake

Aside from a live musical, there will also be a live-action remake of the film starring Halle Bailey.

Bailey, of African-American descent, is considered as Beyonce's protege and will be the first black woman to portray Ariel in its history.

According to the live-action remake's director, Rob Marshall, she has the "intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role."

The First Black Ariel

Halle is known as the young stunner in the R&B group Chloe x Halle, and it'll be her first film ever. Its director opened up about choosing Halle in a statement he released, saying:

“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role."

This new generation of Disney lovers will definitely love being re-introduced to the story of "The Little Mermaid," especially since two new adaptations will be released in the near future.

With the opportunity to see the world of Ariel yet again, parents and kids alike can bond as they enjoy the tale of the most well-loved mermaid character in the world.