Javier Bardem Discusses ‘The Little Mermaid’ “It’s Very Shakespearean”

Javier Bardem has been very open recently regarding his excitement on playing King Triton in Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Bardem has previously highlighted star Halle Bailey’s talents as Ariel. Now, the actor has discussed the project once more in a new interview.

While speaking with GQ, Javier Bardem revealed how it felt getting the role of a Disney Princesses father and what his family thought when he told them he got the role.

“I started like, ‘Wow, guys. I may do The Little Mermaid.’ And my daughter said, ‘But you can’t play Ariel!’ I said, ‘No, no, no. I’m not playing Ariel. I’m playing King Triton.’ And they were so excited,”

Bardem also describes the film as very shakespearean.

“It’s a father taken by the deep love and ownership of his younger daughter, and fighting with the fact that she’s going to leave the nest, and being unable to cope with that as a man and as a protector, and not being able to give her the room that she deserves, the place that she holds as a woman, as a girl, as a grown-up. So,” he says, taking a breath, “it’s very Shakespearean.”

Read: Rachel Zegler on Playing Snow White For The Upcoming Live-Action Remake

The Little Mermaid wrapped filming over the Summer and is still in the extensive post-production process. Disney has the film on schedule to hit theaters on May 26, 2023. We should expect some first look images and possibly a teaser during Disney’s D23 Expo, which is set for September 9-11, 2022.

Directed by Rob Marshall (Into The Woods), The Little Mermaid will feature the original music by Alan Menken (Tangled and 1989’s The Little Mermaid) in addition to four brand new songs co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Encanto). The cast also includes Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) as Ursula, Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Scuttle, and Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) as Sebastian. Also set to star is Emily Coates, Jessica Alexander, Jude Akuwudike, Noma Dumezweni, Russell Balogh, and Adrian Christopher.

Released in 1989, Disney’s animated classic centered on a young mermaid named Ariel, who is captivated by the world upon the surface. When she falls in love with a human prince, she makes a deal with a villainous sea witch to become human, herself, and earn his love before the agreed time runs out.