Disney threw everyone for a loop last week when announcing that relative newcomer, 19-year-old R&B singer and Grown-ish actress Halle Bailey would be playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid live-action remake—not Zendaya, as many had anticipated. Now, people are wildly speculating as to who might fill out the rest of the cast, but Terry Crews has an idea of who might play Ariel’s dad, King Triton.
And that would be none other than Terry Crews, himself.
Shortly after the casting news was announced, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star tweeted a, uh, poorly doctored photo of himself into a still of the 1989 animated classic, with the caption: “Ariel’s Dad!!!! #ArielsGotTerry #AmericasGotTerry,” referring to the NBC reality talent competition series he also hosts.
Ariel’s Dad!!!! 🧜♀️ #ArielsGotTerry #AmericasGotTerry pic.twitter.com/OMEXfmpWPE
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) July 6, 2019
While the above image may not have swayed many casting directors, Crews got some help when the Photoshop artist who goes by BossLogic tweeted his own imagining of Crews as “King (Terry) Triton!”
King (Terry) Triton! 👑🐟🤴 @terrycrews #TheLittleMermaid pic.twitter.com/Rorgjb9YGc
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) July 8, 2019
And that is when Crews’ campaign got real, as he quickly retweeted BossLogic’s creation, and added his own enthusiastic commentary. “IF Y’ALL RETWEET IT ENOUGH MAYBE IT’LL HAPPEN! KING TRITON!”
LOVE THIS ❤️👊🏾🔥 https://t.co/pWPPlSluSZ
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) July 8, 2019
IF YALL RETWEET IT ENOUGH MAYBE IT’LL HAPPEN! 🧜🏾♀️🧜🏾♂️ KING TRITON! 🔱 #TerryForTriton #MermanLife #RetweetItThenWatchAGTat8 pic.twitter.com/YORlU8Pzrg
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) July 9, 2019
Crews is so serious about wanting to play King Triton, he even tweeted a tongue-in-cheek musical audition on Tuesday:
🧜🏾♂️ SINGING AUDITION! 🎶
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) July 9, 2019
under the sea!
under the sea!
my pecs are better,
my triton is bigger,
take it from me!
need a refresher?
watch @AGT! 🔱🧜🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/Dx4ZbjEecD
But unfortunately for Crews, it would appear that he has some competition, as BossLogic previously also did a version of King Triton as hunk-supreme Idris Elba.
So are we getting @idriselba as King Triton now? 😁 #TheLittleMermaid pic.twitter.com/jD6Afcxmk1
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) July 4, 2019
And although Elba has yet to officially weigh in, it would appear that others had the same idea:
https://twitter.com/Bookerj11/status/1146558967176282113
I’ve said this from day one: please make Idris Elba King Triton. @disney pic.twitter.com/WwguxtwLGV
— Kirbie Barbiecore Johnson (@kirbiejohnson) July 3, 2019
BTW, does this mean we can have Idris Elba as King Triton? Pleeeeease? pic.twitter.com/PajAJaspCQ
— ⌜ 𝘟𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘙𝘐𝘈 ⌟ (@mermaidxandria) July 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/angelicgavins/status/1146540199003983872
For what it’s worth, BossLogic also did a pretty sweet depiction of Missy Elliot as Ursula, despite the fact that Melissa McCarthy has already reportedly already been cast in the role (much to the chagrin of those who were hoping for Lizzo).
Wanted to mess with @MissyElliott X Ursula 😁 #TheLittleMermaid pic.twitter.com/bomcndh8SL
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) July 5, 2019
Disney has otherwise remained tight-lipped on early The Little Mermaid casting, however, it’s also been reported that Awkwafina is in talks to star as the seagull Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.
It seems safe to say that fans will be waiting on bated breath for additional casting announcements.
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