How Little Mermaid’s Ursula Was Inspired By Melissa McCarthy’s Drag Experience

The Little Mermaid star Melissa McCarthy reveals how her real-life experience as a drag queen inspired her vision for Ursula the sea witch. Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is highly anticipated due to rising actor and singer Halle Bailey taking on the role of Ariel. However, the film has another stand-out star with McCarthy taking on the iconic role of Ursula. Her performance has already sparked much speculation and intrigue online

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, McCarthy shares her vision for Ursula, explaining how she drew inspiration from her past as a drag queen. Before her success as an actor, McCarthy went by the drag name Miss Y, performing in costume in New York City. She channeled her drag persona into her version of Ursula, saying:

There’s a drag queen that lives in me. I’m always right on the verge of going full-time with her… To keep the humor and the sadness and the edginess to Ursula is everything I want in a character — and frankly, everything I want in a drag queen.

Why McCarthy’s Drag Experience Is A Positive Thing

While McCarthy’s casting as Ursula was divisive at first, her drag experience makes her a surprisingly good fit for the sea witch. The original animated character was allegedly inspired by Divine, the late drag queen that Ursula closely resembles in appearance. After the Little Mermaid cast was announced, critics lashed out over Disney’s lack of LGBTQ+ representation and their decision to cast a cisgender woman as Ursula. With McCarthy’s acting ability and drag experience, it seems the casting choice was as close to drag as Disney was willing to get

Casting a true drag queen in the role would’ve been ideal, but with McCarthy doing her best to include drag and pay homage to Ursula’s origins, it seems the role is still in good hands. The actor is best known for her comedic roles, and while Ursula isn’t particularly funny, McCarthy’s comedy background allows her to get into character and personify all the over-the-top characteristics of the villain. Shots of Ursula in The Little Mermaid trailer have shown her to be a menacing foe for Ariel, with McCarthy taking on her dramatic and diva-like behavior.

Related: The Little Mermaid Trailer Thankfully Eases A Major Ursula Concern

McCarthy is proving herself to be a great fit for Ursula, even if she isn’t the correct representation that audiences are looking for. She will likely give a standout performance in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Her experience with drag helps bring out her diva side, with a flair for the dramatic that will frighten any unfortunate soul to get in her way.

Source: EW