Jonah Hauer-King Talks Bringing ‘Three Dimensionality’ to The Little Mermaid Remake

Disney’s remake of The Little Mermaid has washed ashore with its premiere in movie theaters, putting a spin on the original animated version by reimagining its story in live-action. Along with Halle Bailey as Ariel, the film stars Jonah Hauer-King in the role of Eric. Those familiar with the story will know that Eric is a human prince whom Ariel falls in love with after she saves him from drowning. While Hauer-King has made his mark in film with roles in movies like Old Boys and This Is the Night, Prince Eric may be his biggest role yet.

Portraying the live-action Eric certainly came with some pressure, as the actor had to find out how to transition the character from the world of animation to reality. Speaking about his casting with The Hollywood Reporter, Hauer-King addressed how he wanted to bring “three dimensionality” to the role while touching on the relationship Eric and Ariel have in the story. Hauer-King says that because of the additional character development given to Eric, the relationship that blossoms with Ariel is that much more meaningful. As the actor says:

“This experience, and playing this character, was about bringing as much three dimensionality to this as I could, and making him as well-rounded a person as possible. I wanted to be able to connect with him on a deeper level, just me, regardless of anyone else, I wanted to understand who he was, and give him more of a backstory, understand what he wants in the world, understand what troubled him. I think what was ultimately so special about that is in getting to know him better, we got to know him and Ariel’s relationship better, and it meant that I think their romance and their relationship was really earned and justified. We fell in love with them falling in love, and we really understood why they were willing to risk everything for each other.”

Related: The Little Mermaid Hair Department Head Reveals the High Cost of Halle Bailey’s Ariel Hair

Jonah Hauer-King Is the New Prince Eric

Hauer-King has drawn some praise from critics for his take on Prince Eric, though unlike Bailey, he was not the first actor considered for the role. Harry Styles was in negotiations to play the part at one point during the casting process, though he ultimately declined the role. Director Rob Marshall would later suggest that Styles didn’t want to do the movie as he was seeking to take part in “darker” roles. Other actors who’d reportedly been up for the role include Asher Angel, Christian Navarro, Jack Whitehall, Cameron Cuffe, and Gavin Leatherwood.

Directed by Marshall, The Little Mermaid was written by David Magee, though it takes inspiration from the animated movie released in 1989. Along with Hauer-King as Eric and Halle Bailey as Ariel, the film’s cast includes Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Noma Dumezweni as Eric’s mom Queen Selina, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian.

The Little Mermaid is now playing in movie theaters.