Actor and singer Daveed Diggs is in negotiations to become part of the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
According to Variety, Disney wants the Hamilton star to play Sebastian, Ariel's unwilling accomplice in her quest to be human. In the original movie, Sebastian serves as King Triton's loyal advisor as well as a stern figure in Ariel's life. He sings one of the film's iconic songs, "Under the Sea."
Outside of Halle Bailey being confirmed as Ariel, no other roles have been officially cast. Speculation continues about Melissa McCarthy playing Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton, while up-and-coming actors like Harry Styles and Krypton's Cameron Cuffe are reportedly vying for the role of Prince Eric.
Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid does not yet have a release date.
After breaking out in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, Diggs has recurred on the hit series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Black-ish, while starring in the films Blindspotting and Wonder. Diggs will be seen next in TNT's Snowpiercer, Disney's Soul, and will star as Frederick Douglass in Showtime's The Good Lord Bird.