EXCLUSIVE: After her scene-stealing role as Hugh Grant’s lawyer in HBO’s hit series The Undoing, Noma Dumezweni is set to head under the sea, joining the cast Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
Halle Bailey will portray Ariel, a mermaid princess who dreams of being a human, while Melissa McCarthy is playing her evil aunt Ursula. Javier Bardem is on board to play King Triton.
The Little Mermaid will be directed by Rob Marshall and is written by David Magee. The upcoming film will incorporate original songs from the 1989 animated classic, as well as new tunes from original composer Alan Menken with lyrics by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda is also producing along with Marshall, Marc Platt and John DeLuca. Jessica Virtue and Allison Erlikhman are overseeing for the studio.
It is unknown who Dumezweni will be playing other then it will be a brand new role that wasn’t in the animated movie.
Dumezweni was one of the major standouts in HBO’s limited series The Undoing opposite Grant and Nicole Kidman. The role could see her in the mix for awards consideration in this upcoming season. On top of that she earned high marks for her role as Paul Mescal’s therapist in Hulu’s adaptation of Normal People. In 2021, she has her HBO series Made For Love.
She also has ties to Disney having worked with the studio on Mary Poppins Returns.
She is repped by Principal Entertainment and Conway van Gelder Grant.