The Undoing star Noma Dumezweni joins the cast of live action adaption of The Little Mermaid
Noma Dumezweni has scored a mystery role in the upcoming Disney live action film The Little Mermaid.
The British actress, who most recently starred as Hugh Grant’s lawyer in the hit HBO series The Undoing, will be playing a brand new character that wasn’t in the classic animated movie.
For the new adaption, Halle Bailey steps in as Ariel, the mermaid princess who dreams of being a human, alongside Melissa McCarthy as her evil aunt Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton.
New role: Noma Dumezweni, 51, has joined the cast of the live action adaption of the Disney classic, The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid will be directed by Rob Marshall, who’s best known for helming the film version of the Broadway musical Chicago (2002). It went on to win six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
In another boost of experience, David Magee wrote the screenplay — he’s the man behind such acclaimed films as Finding Neverland (2004) and Life Of Pi (2012).
This new film version will feature the original songs written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as new tunes with music from Menken and lyrics by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Acclaimed team: The new version of The Little Mermaid will be directed by Rob Marshall, and is written by David Magee
Miranda and Marshall will also be producing along with Marc Platt and John DeLuca.
Jessica Virtue and Allison Erlikhman are overseeing for the studio, according to Deadline.
Opposite of Bailey’s Ariel will be Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, a prince whom Ariel falls in love with after saving him from drowning, while he becomes determined to find her.
On a role: Dumezweni starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in The Undoing; the three actors are pictured with writer David E. Kelley and director Susanne Bier
Some of the voice roles include Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, a loyal crab and King Triton’s trusted servant who watches over Ariel; Awkwafina as Ariel’s diving bird friend Scuttle; and Jacob Tremblay plays the noble tropical fish Flounder.
Dumezweni, 51, is also very well known for originating the role of Hermione Granger in the West End and Broadway runs of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. Her portrayal landed her a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress In A Supporting Role, and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress In A Play.
She also turned a lot of heads with her role as Paul Mescal’s therapist in the Hulu series adaptation of Normal People (2020) and as Miss Penny Farthing in Marshall’s fantasy film Mary Poppins Returns (2018).
Award winner: Dumezweni won the Best Actress In A Supporting Role for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child; she accepted the honor at Royal Albert Hall in London, England in April 2017