The Little Mermaid: Who plays Sebastian in Disney’s new live-action remake?

Disney's The Little Mermaid is all set to premiere on the big screen on May 26, 2023, and fans are in for a real treat as the film houses an ensemble of famed actors and actresses. The musical fantasy film will bring to life Ariel's sea creature friends, including the beloved character that is Sebastian.

Sebastian is a Jamaican accented crab who serves as King Triton's advisor and is also a distinguished court composer. However, he is also a trustworthy friend of the king and is regularly tasked with watching over Triton's youngest daughter, Princess Ariel. His commanding yet loving behavior toward the princess is what the fans most love about him making him one of the most popular characters from the animated feature film.

The crab has been voiced over in past Disney films and shows by the late actor and singer, Samuel Ernest Wright. However, the upcoming remake of the animated fantasy film has managed to live up to expectations and has provided justice to the adored character by casting the extremely talented Daveed Diggs to voice over the character.

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The Little Mermaid's Daveed Diggs has been featured in a host of acclaimed projects

Daveed Diggs is an American actor, rapper, and singer-songwriter. He is most famously known for originating the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the highly acclaimed musical Hamilton for which he received a Tony Award and a Grammy Award, along with his ensemble from the musical.

He has starred in numerous shows including, The Get Down, Black-ish, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, among numerous others, and is no stranger to partaking in an animated film, previously being a part of the famous animated films Zootopia and Ferdinand. Apart from his acting credits, the actor is also a known musician, frequently performing with various groups, such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail's freestyle rap group known as Freestyle Love Supreme.

The actor has been subject to critical acclaim for his stunning performances in his previous projects and for his ability to delve into characters flawlessly. He has maintained his rapport for being thoroughly entertaining in whatever role he plays and it'll be interesting to see how the actor adds his own flair to Sebastian's character in The Little Mermaid.

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More about The Little Mermaid cast

Apart from Daveed Diggs, The Little Mermaid is also host to many other famous actors and actresses, including Halle Lynn Bailey who'll be playing the titular role of the fictional character Ariel. Her casting in the movie has garnered worldwide appreciation for that'll be the second time a Black actor had been crowned a Disney princess previously done by Anika Noni Rose as the voice of Tiana in The Princess and the Frog.

In an interview with Variety, Bailey expressed her gratefulness for the role and how she wishes to impact young girls with her role and stressed the importance of inclusivity. She said:

“I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special and that they should be a princess in every single way. There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be. That reassurance was something that I needed.”

The Little Mermaid star will also be accompanied by Jonah Hauer-Kin, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy in the film and fans can't wait to see their favorite characters brought to life by this star-studded cast.

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The Little Mermaid releases in theatres on May 26, 2023.