'Little Mermaid Live!:' Queen Latifah Appears as Ursula in New ABC Promo Video
Queen Latifah, alongside a handful of other celebrities, has been unveiled in full costume for the upcoming live special of Disney's "The Little Mermaid."
It’s been 30 years since "The Little Mermaid" made its debut, and to celebrate, Disney has put together a live performance of the classic film to air on ABC.
Queen Latifah during the 2018 Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 6, 2018 | Photo: Getty Images
In a 30-second promo video for "The Little Mermaid Live!" Queen Latifah is seen wearing a strapless black outfit, sporting white hair and a gold shell necklace as Ursula, the sea witch.
Still To Come: The forthcoming adaptation stirred some controversy earlier this year
"Moana" star Auli'i Cravalho plays Ariel with her red hair and purple outfit while Jamaican singer Shaggy looks the part of Sebastian, the crab in an all-red ensemble.
"Fuller House" star John Stamos is Chef Louis in a white chef’s outfit, red scarf, and stick-on mustache. "The Good Wife" alum Graham Phillips gives life to the character of Prince Eric and appears in the promo clip wearing a white shirt.
Per Daily Mail, "The Little Mermaid Live!" will feature live musical performances from the cast as well as live sets, costumes, and songs from the original 1989 film and the Tony-nominated Broadway stage version.
Judging by their social media, the actors are also excited to bring some of Disney’s beloved characters to life.
"Dive under the sea with us for @ABCNetwork’s #TheLittleMermaidLive!" Cravalho wrote alongside a repost of the promo video on her Instagram page.
"I’ll see you under the sea for @abcnetwork’s #TheLittleMermaidLive!" Latifah echoed. The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! Airs on November 5 at 8 pm on ABC.
Besides the live concert, Disney’s 30th-anniversary plans for "The Little Mermaid" also includes a live-action feature adaptation of the classic film.
The forthcoming adaptation stirred some controversy earlier this year after singer/actress Halle Bailey was announced as Ariel. Some fans were outraged over the casting decision because Halle is African American while Ariel, in the original, was white.
The backlash trended the hashtag #NotMyAriel, causing Disney’s cable network Freeform, to wade into the matter. In responding, Freeform noted that, essentially, Ariel is a work of fiction and can be cast either way.
The live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" is expected to begin production in 2020.