Disney Jr. is ready to dive under the sea with her upcoming series, Disney Jr.'s Arieltaking the quirky and vivacious mermaid princess on a series of animated adventures that fans have never experienced before.
Set in the Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantis, the series follows young Ariel (Mykal-Michelle Harris) as she sets out for underwater fun with her family and friends, including King Triton (Taye Diggs), Ursula (Amber Riley ), Flounder ( Gracen Newton ), and mermaid friends Fernie ( Cruz Flateau ) and Lucia ( Elizabeth Phoenix Caro ).
“I can't even begin to tell you the excitement in our workplace to create this series,” says series executive producer Lynne Southerland. Advertising sign. “Everyone really brings their A-game. We are all truly honored to bring magical Ariel to a new space, a new way of seeing her, and a new audience.”
As for how this version of Ariel differs from the princess we saw in the original 1989 film and the 2023 live-action follow-up, Southerland says that the Disney Jr. she is young but sure of herself. “It was really important to me that Ariel exudes a sense of personal agency, that she already kind of knows who she is at eight years old, and we're just watching her continue to grow and expand that sense of herself,” she says. “We started with a key element of Ariel, which is her beautiful voice — but what are the many ways the voice expresses itself? How do we communicate with others, how do we express our dreams, how can we express ourselves when we are wrong? To show her as a full character who can speak out instead of being closed off, that was really key to that character.”
Harris, the 12-year-old actress who plays Ariel in the show, agrees, adding that she's encouraged to put her own spin on the character. “In this version, we're seeing a younger Ariel than we've ever seen her before, so it was important for me to add some qualities that she might have had when she was younger,” he explains. “Some of the qualities that I brought to this version of Ariel was her love of singing, of course, and also she was definitely empathetic in the feature films. She's also a really curious, excited person who's always wanting to explore the world around her.”
She continues, “It's such a dream come true to play the role of Ariel. It's so satisfying, because I've always loved Disney princesses. I mean, who doesn't? I always loved watching Ariel, Elsa and Anna, Aladdin — all those classic Disney stories. I've always wanted to be a Disney princess when I grow up, and now I actually am! My wish came true!”
Another crucial element of it Disney Jr.'s Ariel is the protagonist's relationship with her father, King Triton. “It's not often that we see black fathers in strong roles,” says Southerland. “There can be a perception that black fathers are strict. It was very important that Triton, despite being a king, when he's with his kids he's just a dad who understands and loves his kids and wants the best for them.”
Diggs, a father himself who plays the underwater king, adds, “I love that he listens to his kid. It sounds very simple, but you'd be surprised how many parents think it's their job to talk to their child instead of listening. He's the kind of father who listens, and that's the kind of father I try to be.”
In closing, Harris shares what she hopes new viewers will gain from watching the new series. “It's okay to be yourself. It's okay to love who you are, it's okay to like what you like, and I think Ariel really shows that,” she says. “There's so much diversity and inclusion in this series, you'll definitely be able to see yourself in one of the characters.”
Additionally with Disney Jr.'s Ariel The premiere episode will air on June 27 on Disney Junior and later on Disney Channel, an initial batch of eight episodes will be available on Disney+ the following day (Friday, June 28). In addition, a new series of two-minute shorts, called Disney Jr. Ariel: Mermaid Talespreviously aired on Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Jr. starting earlier this month, to build excitement around the new show.
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