Yesterday (July 3, 2019) came the news that Halle Bailey will be taking on the role of Ariel in Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. The announcement got us thinking just how wonderful a completely diverse cast of stars could be, and then the cogs really started turning! Here's who Female First would cast alongside Bailey in the upcoming 2020 flick!

Ursula - Ginger Minj

Ginger Minj at RuPaul's DragCon 2015, Los Angeles / Photo Credit: Dave Starbuck/Geisler-Fotopress/DPA/PA Images

The support for Ginger Minj to become one of Disney's most prolific villains has been strong ever since her appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race. She's a drag queen who knows exactly what she wants out of life, and as we saw in the competition, is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals. Always a star of the acting challenges, we'd love to see her transform from lovable drag queen, to terrifying Sea Witch.

Flounder - Gaten Matarazzo

Gaten Matarazzo in Los Angeles at the 2016 Stranger Things premiere / Photo Credit: Tammie Arroyo/AFF/PA Images

As one of the most beloved stars from Netflix original series Stranger Things, Gaten Matarazzo has an instantly-recognisable voice, which is exactly what's needed to bring Flounder to life. This cowardly tropical fish (nope, not a flounder, despite the name!), always needs an extra push to step out of his comfort zone, but we couldn't imagine Ariel going on her adventures without him.

Sebastian - Samuel E. Wright

What isn't broke, doesn't need fixing! Samuel E. Wright was an incredible addition to the original Disney classic version of The Little Mermaid, so why not bring him back, as the company have done with James Earl Jones as Mufasa, in the upcoming live-action, The Lion King? Honestly, his performance back in 1989's release was so good, that it'd actually feel a little jarring to have somebody else try and take over.

Prince Eric - Charles Melton

Charles Melton in New York at the 2018 CW Upfront / Photo Credit: Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM/AFF/PA Images

Rogueish good looks and stellar acting talent quickly shot Charles Melton into the frame for Prince Eric, as far as we're concerned! Known to the younger generation thanks to his role as Reggie since Riverdale's second season, as well as his brilliant performance in movie The Sun Is Also a Star, he's sure to bring in the crowds and perhaps an entirely new string of viewers yet to be fans of The Little Mermaid.

Queen Athena - Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox at the 2019 New York Met Gala / Photo Credit: Hahn Lionel/ABACA/ABACA/PA Images

Screw it, let's have Queen Athena front-and-centre. Why not flip this part of the story on its head entirely, and have Ariel's father be crushed to death by a ship, rather than Queen Athena? We're in 2019; the woman doesn't need to be the off-screen deceased and absent parent. Let's show that Queen Athena is responsible for Ariel's strong-hearted nature; and what better person to get that across on film than the incomparable Laverne Cox? Make it happen, Disney!

MORE: Halle Bailey's casting as Ariel in The Little Mermaid is an important moment in cinematic history

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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