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Auli’i Cravalho, ‘Moana’ Star, to Play Ariel in ‘Little Mermaid’ Live Event

The performance will mark the film’s 30th anniversary.

Actress Auli’i Cravalho—who’s best known for playing Moana in the 2016 film of the same name—will star as Ariel in Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid Live! will air on ABC this November, with Queen Latifah co-starring as the sea witch Ursula, and singer Shaggy as Ariel’s crustacean sidekick Sebastian. The performance will mark the film’s 30th anniversary. Halle Bailey has been cast as Ariel in Walt Disney Studio’s upcoming live-action film version of the animated movie, making Cravalho the second actress of color Disney has cast to play the famous princess. “I’m not really worried about overshadowing the other,” ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke said about the movie and the live action performance. “The timing is so different. Ours premieres in the fall. The movie will hit theaters long after that.”