The internet has fallen in love with Melissa McCarthy's Ursula, with many social media users claiming the villainous The Little Mermaid character as their new "mommy."Following Disney's release of the first full trailer for The Little Mermaid during the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, fans flocked to Twitter declaring that McCarthy has officially assumed the mantle of "mommy." Similar to The Mandalorian and The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal's "daddy" moniker, "mommy" is an affectionate term given to someone who portrays themselves or their characters as confident and attractive. Even though Ursula is the villain of The Little Mermaid, the internet cannot get enough of her bold persona and are ready to be her "poor unfortunate souls."
While The Little Mermaid fans had already been treated to an official first look at Halle Bailey's Ariel, they had only received a small taste of McCarthy's Ursula in previous teasers. McCarthy's casting in the film was first reported in June 2019 but wasn't confirmed until February 2020 by the actor. "I play Ursula, the sea witch. It is so fun, we're just in rehearsals. It's been an absolute blast," McCarthy said at the time. Besides Ursula, the official trailer for The Little Mermaid featured first looks at Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder. The trailer also showed off the film's take on Scuttle, voiced by Awkwafina, with the character reimagined as a female diving bird instead of a male seagull.
McCarthy's Ursula Earns Praise at Little Mermaid Test Screenings
After Alice in Wonderland dominated the box office in 2010, Disney has slowly been reimagining its beloved animated classics as live-action blockbusters, with The Little Mermaid one of the latest films to get the treatment. While the majority of the films have been profitable for the studio, many have failed to match the critical reception of their predecessor. However, early test screenings for The Little Mermaid have suggested that Disney may have another hit on its hands, with test audience members praising both Bailey's Ariel and McCarthy's Ursula. The latter was particularly well-received, with many calling Ursula the highlight of the film.
Based on the original 1989 animated film, The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. "The youngest of King Triton’s daughters -- and the most defiant -- Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric," reads the film's synopsis. "While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy."
The Little Mermaid swims into theaters on May 26.
Source: Twitter