Just call him Prince Eric! Jonah Hauer-King will star alongside Halle Bailey in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid

News that the actor would be taking on this iconic role first broke in November 2019, but prior to his casting news, Jonah appeared to manifest his part in the film during a September 2019 interview with 1883 Magazine. During his chat with the publication the London native said he “wouldn’t say no” to starring in a musical.

Of course, The Little Mermaid won’t be Jonah’s first experience making music for a project. He got a chance to sing while starring in the 2018 film Postcards from London. “I was acting in the film and found out that Steve [McLean], the director, was being fairly open-minded about his musical approach,” Jonah recalled to 1883 Magazine. “I kind of just muscled my way in there, brought my guitar on set one day and constantly dropped hints. Pretty shameless, but it worked?!”

Other than singing for films, the A Dog’s Way Home also has a lot of stage experience thanks to his mom, Debra Hauer, a known theater producer.

“I started out doing theater and I think it’s informed me a lot,” he shared during the same magazine interview. “Doing a play has a great sense of a ‘company’, and the feeling that you’re all working towards the same thing. I think being respectful of everyone’s job, and recognizing the importance that everyone has in the process — that’s when the best work is made.”

From the sound of it, Jonah has no issues being a member of an ensemble cast. Aside from Halle, he’ll be sharing the screen with Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem. Actress Norma Dumezweni is also set to star, in a currently secret and unannounced role, and even spilled some tea about watching Halle and Jonah together on set. The Pose star called her costars “f–king adorable” together.

“There’s a moment when the camera zooms in and you see both of them. I was watching on a monitor and was like, ‘If that’s not iconic, I have no taste,'” she told Variety in May 2021. “They’re just so sweet together.”

With a review like that, fans can’t wait to see the magic Jonah is sure to bring to the big screen! Scroll through our gallery to check out everything you need to know about the British actor playing Prince Eric. 

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