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Twitter Has THOUGHTS About Who Should Play Prince Eric In 'The Little Mermaid' Remake

by Rebecca Patton
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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Now that Halle Bailey — of Chloe x Halle fame — has been tapped to play Ariel in the Disney live-action remake, fans are naturally clamoring to cast Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid next. Christopher Daniel Barnes played the voice acting role in the 1989 Disney film alongside Jodi Benson (who played Ariel). And since the new Ariel is a woman of color, fans are hoping that this iteration of the beloved movie will be a bit more diverse than the original. Fortunately, Twitter had no shortage of ideas for who should star opposite Bailey.

The Little Mermaid remake was originally announced back in 2015, with Chloë Grace Moretz slated to play the starring role. Sofia Coppola was initially set to direct but left the project due to creative differences, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rob Marshall is now directing the Disney film and is clearly thrilled with the casting choice. "After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role," he said, per the Guardian.

And while the role of Prince Eric still hasn't been cast, fans have plenty of thoughts. Take note, Disney.

Noah Centineo

The Twitter account KYLE A.B., who predicted that Bailey would be cast back in 2018, also suggested that the To All the Boys I've Loved Before star would make a great Prince Eric. And Centineo's certainly got the hair for it.

Alex Landi

Landi is a half-Korean, half-Italian actor, per his IMDb, and is best known for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Insatiable. However, if he were cast in The Little Mermaid, it would be a huge career move.

Rome Flynn

Flynn is a bit under-the-radar as well, but was recently in How to Get Away with Murder and the Tyler Perry show The Haves and the Have Nots.

BTS Stans REALLY Want Jimin to Get the Role

Fans of the K-Pop group BTS — who are colloquially known as the ARMY — enthusiastically suggested member Park Jimin be cast as the royal Disney character.

Nyle DiMarco Also Threw His Hat In The Ring

DiMarco rose to prominence back in 2015 after winning Cycle 22 of America's Next Top Model. The actor, who is deaf, has had roles in Difficult People and Station 19, among others, but The Little Mermaid would be his biggest role yet.

Harry Styles

Former One Direction member and current heartthrob Harry Styles would be a great — and age-appropriate — choice for the land-dwelling prince.

Sebastian Stan

The Marvel actor definitely looks like Prince Eric, but he's 37, which is (hopefully) a little too old to play opposite Bailey, who is just 19.

Henry Cavill

Once again, The Man of Steel actor is much older than Bailey, but it's undeniable that Cavill looks the part.

Some Fans (Jokingly) Suggested Paul Giamatti

Some people on Twitter had fun with the casting possibilities, suggesting that the Billions actor be Ariel's love interest.

...Taylor Swift?

Several fans suggested that Prince Eric should be played by a woman, which is an interesting idea, but Taylor Swift is still an odd choice to play Ariel's paramour. It's really the black hair that she sports in her "Wildest Dreams" music video that sells it.

That's Princess *Erica,* Thank You Very Much

Ah yes, this one makes more sense. One fan put forth The Leftovers actor Margaret Qualley to play a gender-flipped Princess Erica.

Jerry Seinfeld

Others thought the Seinfeld creator and star was the obvious choice. Picture it: he walks into frame, spots Ariel looking at him on the ship, and tells his dog, Max, "What's the deal with that red-haired mermaid?!" Iconic!

Whoever Disney ends up casting, hopefully fans will be satisfied by the decision.

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