Disney shares video of Melissa McCarthy transforming into Ursula for ‘The Little Mermaid’, netizens irked

Disney's choice to cast Melissa McCarthy as Ursula in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid has received criticism for being uninspired and lacking in creativity. This week, Disney released a time-lapse video showcasing McCarthy's transformation into Ursula, which only served to further underline the concerns surrounding her casting.

The video, shared on Walt Disney Studios' official Twitter account, immediately faced backlash from a variety of social media users, including drag queens, makeup enthusiasts, and the popular Instagram account Diet Prada, which highlighted some of the humorous and pointed reactions. Users pointed out that the issue with McCarthy's portrayal of Ursula goes beyond the actor herself or any lack of resemblance to the character in the original 1989 animated film. They said that the problem lies in the overall execution, as the makeup appears poorly done, featuring a monotone and asymmetrical look with strangely uneven eyebrows.
Here are some reactions:







Ursula was originally based on Divine, a provocative drag icon and John Waters collaborator who passed away in 1988. Howard Ashman, the gay playwright, and lyricist who worked on The Little Mermaid, was inspired by Divine and even based Ursula's design on an initial rendering by animator Rob Minkoff, who drew inspiration from the drag queen. For reference footage, they even dressed a male actor in drag.

McCarthy's Ursula makeup did not meet the standards of RuPaul's Drag Race judges or the discerning eyes of a drag brunch crowd.
Many believed that Tituss Burgess, who already had an impressive audition reel, would have been a perfect fit for the role.

FAQs

Q1:Did Melissa McCarthy play Ursula?
Melissa McCarthy shows off her singing talent as Ursula in Disney's upcoming live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid."

Q2:Who was Ursula based in?
Ursula is loosely based on the nameless sea witch from the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, while her characterization takes inspiration from the drag queen Divine.