Three months after the release of the live-action Little Mermaid movie starring Halle Bailey, we now know who will bring the famous mermaid and her underwater pals to life once more in the upcoming animated series based on the film, Disney Junior’s Ariel.
Disney Junior announced Friday (Aug. 18) that 11-year-old actress Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) will voice the title character, while Taye Diggs will play her father King Triton and Glee alum Amber Riley will voice her sea-witch nemesis Ursula.
Diggs is a veteran actor of stage and screen, breaking out on Broadway in 1996 as part of the original cast of Rent and on film in 1998’s How Stella Got Her Groove Back. He’s gone on to star in dozens of TV shows, films and musicals since and previously guest-starred as a voice actor on the Disney Junior series Doc McStuffins and Elena of Avalor.
In addition to her six-year run as Mercedes Jones on Fox’s Glee through 2015, Riley also originated the role of Effie White in London’s West End production of Dreamgirls in 2016, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical. Back in 2019, Riley was coincidentally involved in ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live!, playing the Emcee who introduces the Daughters of Triton.
Also joining the Disney Junior’s Ariel cast: kid actors Elizabeth Phoenix Caro and Cruz Flateau as Ariel’s friends Lucia and Fernie, respectively, and Gracen Newton as her original fish bestie Flounder.
In May, Billboard ranked the 100 best songs from throughout the Disneyverse, including movies, TV and theme parks, and three classic songs from 1989’s original Little Mermaid film made the list — and scored the No. 1 spot too. (Revisit the full list here.)
Disney Junior’s Ariel is set to arrive in 2024 on Disney Junior and Disney+.
