According to a new report by
The DisInsider, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is rumoured to be up for the role of Athena in Disney's upcoming, live-action remake of
The Little Mermaid.
Already, the cast consists of Halle Bailey as the titular princess, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian. Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem are reportedly involved as Ursula and King Triton respectively. Rob Marshall (
Mary Poppins Returns) directs and the film will feature songs by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw is best known for her roles in
Black Mirror,
Beyond the Lights, and
The Morning Show. The actress played Plumette the feather duster in Disney's live-action remake of
Beauty and the Beast. It's therefore plausible that she could be up for a more substantial role in another of Disney's live-action remakes.
In this case, rumor has it that Mbatha-Raw is up for the role of Ariel's mother or King Triton's other half — Queen Athena. It's worth mentioning that The DisInsider says they were unable to get confirmation on this rumour but they're often on the ball with their insider knowledge.