The Little Mermaid remake is set to hit theaters soon, and the excitement is growing. Starring Halle Bailey as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, along with a star-studded cast, including Javier Bardem, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, and Jacob Tremblay, the film promises to bring a fresh and updated angle to the beloved Disney classic.

Before McCarthy was cast as Ursula, Grammy-winning singer and rapper Lizzo had campaigned for the role, even posting a clip of herself singing Ursula’s iconic theme song on social media and tagging Disney. However, Disney ultimately went with McCarthy for the villainous role.

In an interview with Variety, Lizzo revealed that she ran into McCarthy at an Adele concert and mentioned how she had also auditioned for Ursula, to which McCarthy jokingly replied, “Well, why the hell did I get the part?”

Despite not getting the role, Lizzo didn’t let it affect her and is feeling great. As the film prepares to hit theaters, controversy surrounding the casting of Halle Bailey still lingers, but early reviews have praised her performance as Ariel. The Little Mermaid promises to be a reimagining of a classic with a talented cast bringing the beloved characters to life.