Following Harry Styles’ abrupt departure from Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, Deadline reports that Cameron Cuffe and Jonah Hauer-King are both currently testing for his role. The role in question is that of Prince Eric, Ariel’s love interest.
Cuffe is known for playing Superman’s grandfather Seg-El in Syfy series Krypton. He has also appeared in Florence Foster Jenkins, The Halcyon and Time After Time.
Hauer-King starred in the 2017 BBC version of Little Women, as well as films Ashes In The Snow, Postcards From London and A Dog’s Way Home.
Whoever takes on the role of Eric will join a cast made up of Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jacob Tremlay (Room, Wonder) as Ariel’s fish friend Flounder, Awkwafina (Ocean’s 8, Crazy Rich Asians) as seagull Scuttle, Melissa McCarthy (Ghostbusters, Bridesmaids) as villain Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton.
Disney’s original animated version of The Little Mermaid, which was released in 1989, follows the story of Ariel, a red-headed mermaid who wishes to be human after falling in love with Prince Eric. She makes a deal with Ursula the sea witch, and trades her voice for legs so that she can live on the shore and earn Eric’s love. The film is loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.
The live-action remake, which doesn’t yet have a release date, is being directed by Rob Marshall from a script by Jane Goldman and David Magee.
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