Noma Dumezweni has been cast in the upcoming live-action remake of Disney’s Little Mermaid, according to Deadline.
The character Dumezweni will play in the film is a brand new role that was not present in the original version. No other information has been released about the part.
Little Mermaid will present the cartoon tale of a mermaid princess who risks her voice for a chance at humanity to life. It will feature the classic songs from the 1989 animated version alongside new songs composed by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Singer and actress Halle Bailey (Grown-ish) is staring as Princess Ariel and Melissa McCarthy (The Kitchen) will play her wicked Aunt Ursula.
Dumezweni has been acting for more than twenty years. Her previous credits include Mary Poppins Returns, Frankie, and Holby City. She starred in a West End production of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child for three years before securing her breakout role as the no-nonsense defense attorney Hayley Fitzgerald in The Undoing. The 51-year-old reportedly spent time in courtrooms observing the mannerisms of attorneys and defendants to add credibility to her portrayal.
As usual, Black Twitter recognized Dumezweni’s talent before Hollywood considered her franchise worthy. Her performance in the HBO series drew rave reviews, with one fan of the show tweeting, “Want to see Noma Dumezweni in every film from now on.”
The premiere date for the live-action production has yet to be announced.