Jonah Hauer-King to Play Prince Eric in Live-Action 'Little Mermaid' Remake. The British actor's casting comes after Harry Styles' negotiations to play the part fell through. . Hauer-King, who stars in the BBC drama 'World on Fire,' joins Halle Bailey, who will play Ariel. Melissa McCarthy will portray the villain, Ursula, while Javier Bardem will play Ariel's father, King Triton. Hauer-King's film credits include 2017's 'The Last Photograph' and this year's 'A Dog's Way Home.'. Rob Marshall is directing the Disney remake of the 1989 animated movie. . The film will feature new songs in addition to the classics from the original film. 'The Little Mermaid' is expected to begin production sometime early next year
