Since Auli’i Cravalho voiced Disney princess Moana back in 2016, we knew that her being cast as Ariel in ABC’s recent live production of The Little Mermaid was spot on. When the event aired on Tuesday night in celebration of the original film’s 30th anniversary, our thoughts were confirmed when the Rise actress hit the stage in full mermaid regalia, from the glittering tail and seashell bra, to a bright red wig (and a very creepy Flounder sidekick, if we’re being honest).
Although you might have expected her to sit still on a rock on stage, given the fact she’s not . . . well . . . an actual mermaid, Cravalho actually got to channel Ariel’s underwater skills by twirling through the air and soaring out above the crowd. Sure, some fans were divided about her execution of that note, but overall the 18-year-old delivered a magical take on the world’s most famous mermaid. Watch her performance of “Part of Your World,” above!