Yes, Halle Bailey is a hit, but she can’t beat ‘The Little Mermaid’ star swimming despite being betrayed by CGI

The reviews are in, and despite a rocky start for Melissa McCarthy‘s Ursula, she’s the real scene-stealer in Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake. After the official trailer dropped and gave us our first look at McCarthy’s Sea Witch, the naysayers swarmed in their masses to try and tear her down, ripping the character to shreds for anything from her makeup to her voice, but that didn’t stop the Bridesmaid star from shining, even with lackluster CGI. If anyone knows Melissa McCarthy, they know that she can take dust and turn it to gold with relative ease, no matter what the task may be. she’s had an extensive career of comedy, but when she needs to, she can switch it up and portray a much more serious part, such as that of writer Lee Israel in 2018’s Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Although she had the haters telling her she couldn’t, McCarthy went and proved that she can. The Little Mermaid releases worldwide today, May 26, and although there’s an abundance of praise for the leading lady, Halle Bailey, it’s Melissa McCarthy who brings the experience to a whole new level. And as for us poor unfortunate souls, we can’t get enough of her. Over on Twitter, the early reactions are pouring in from audiences who have bagged a morning screening (or a midnight showing, in some cases).

The general consensus is that Ursula is the star of the show, drawing attention away from the love story of Ariel and Eric, which is the plot’s main driving force. But we can’t complain too much, especially as Ursula was also a fan-favorite in the original under Pat Carroll’s masterful direction, so there’s some consistency with the franchise’s roots —a main concern from the get-go.

melisa mccarthy was the perfect ursula, no shade. she embodied the role so well i couldn’t even imagine it being someone different. that was a smart choice

— 5hahem aka Dr. Durag (@shaTIRED) May 26, 2023

The two real stand out performances came from Melissa McCarthy as Ursula as Awkwafina’s voice role as Scuttle.

Both just so well suited, it’s almost as though the roles were written for them. pic.twitter.com/ndKaokBAsP

— Curt 🕊 (@CurtExplores) May 26, 2023

Awkwafina’s Scuttle was also named as another stand-out performance alongside McCarthy, but our resident Sea Witch is basking in all the glory alone, while the likes of Javier Bardem’s Triton fade into the background. No hard feelings, though, there’s just much more to offer with Ursula’s character than Triton’s. Although she looked the part, many were apprehensive to see McCarthy’s portrayal. There’s always been a heavy attachment to Carroll’s version, so there was big shoes to fill for McCarthy and huge expectations from the ’90s kids who grew up with old-school Ursula.

“She’s amazing as Ursula,” “She performed,” and “McCarthy was the perfect Ursula” are just a few of the shared opinions being tossed around on social media, not just Twitter. It appears that with all the poor aspects of the remake, there are just as many positives, so even though it’s expected to bring home a profit at the box office, it’s reassuring to know that the reviews remain in line with that commercial success.

Catch McCarthy in action as Ursula in The Little Mermaid, showing in theaters now.

About the author

Chynna Wilkinson

For over 7 years, Chynna has been a noteworthy presence within creative media. As a self- proclaimed geek and driven by a passion for horror, comic books, video games, and modern cinema, she takes pride in providing only the best publications. She likes to label herself as an innovative writer doing what she loves, especially when it concerns her favorite interests. Aside from personal written projects, she can be credited as an award-winning screenwriter, published poet, and accomplished academic writer. She has taken the media industry by storm, producing short stories, screenplays, articles, features, and poetry that thoroughly engage, excite and thrill those fortunate enough to read them. She enjoys watching anime, horror movies, and animated shows; her life revolves around cinema, video games, and tasteful literature.