EXCLUSIVE: A Look Into Ursula’s Lair in ‘The Little Mermaid’
The Little Mermaid made a splash in theaters back in May and now you can bring her home! In preparation for the Blu-Ray release, we at The Mary Sue have a new exclusive clip showing off Ursula’s lair! Including conversations filmed prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike with star Melissa McCarthy and director Rob Marshall, the video lets fans take a dive into the world of Ariel (Halle Bailey) as she gives up her voice for legs on a quest to see what life is like among the humans.
Production designer John Myhre talks about how Ursula lives inside a prehistoric whale skeleton deep beneath the ocean waves and how it informs the audience of who she is as a character just as much as her iconic song “Poor Unfortunate Souls” does. The lack of lighting comes from the depth in which she lives and her “collection” of things isn’t as vibrant and exciting as Ariel’s because there isn’t a sense of wonder to what she’s keeping in her home. She doesn’t have thingamabobs or statues of a prince she loves. There are skulls and the souls of those she’s trapped, and it’s what makes Ursula so terrifying as a Disney villain!
The clip is a fascinating look into the detail of Ursula’s lair, as well as the excitement behind the creation of it underwater because there was a lot of effort put into making it come to life in a way that pays homage to the animated version while still being new and exciting.
You can bring home your own copy of The Little Mermaid today and remind yourself just how good Bailey is as Ariel. Will I ever get over the high note at the end of “Part of Your World”? Probably not, but at least I can own it forever, even if I am terrified of going into Ursula’s layer—and the sharks.
(featured image: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Studios)
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