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At last, The Little Mermaid live-action film has found its Prince Eric. Disney has announced the actor that will play the love interest to Halle Bailey’s Ariel. Jonah Hauer-King was won the prized role, several months after Harry Styles backed away from the project.

Jonah Hauer-King and Halle Bailey
(L-R) Jonah Hauer-King and Halle Bailey | Jemal Countess/WireImage, Frazer Harrison/WireImage

Who is Jonah Hauer-King

Hauer-King is a 24-year-old British actor. He went to school at both Eton College and Cambridge University. He’s been in several films over the past couple of years, including his portrayal of Lucas Ray, one of the leading roles in 2019’s A Dog’s Way Home. He starred in the film with Bryce Dallas Howard, and Ashley Judd.

He’s also in post-production on the Blumhouse film, Once Upon a Time in Staten Island. He’ll star in this project with Naomi Watts, Frank Grillo, Bobby Cannavale, and Method Man.

On the TV front, he starred with Maya Hawke in BBC One’s Little Women miniseries and World on Fire, another BBC One miniseries.

Why did Harry Styles back out of ‘The Little Mermaid’

Styles was very close to starring in the film with Bailey. He explained his reasoning for leaving the project in an interview.

He told The Face, “I want to put music out and focus on that for a while,” he explained. But everyone involved in it was amazing. So I think it’s going to be great. I’ll enjoy watching it, I’m sure.”

Krypton actor Cameron Cuffe also made it to final testing with Hauer-King when recasting Styles. Both tested at London’s Pinewood Studios in September.

When will ‘The Little Mermaid’ be released?

While there is no confirmed release date for The Little Mermaid we should definitely expect it within the next few years. With casting still ongoing, it is unclear when production would officially start. Rumors online have said the film should be in production by April 2020.

Ideally, it would begin filming sometime early next year, which would put the film at a release date for sometime in early or mid-2021.

We can’t wait to see Bailey and the rest of the cast light up the screen, bringing us “A Whole New World.”

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