Melissa McCarthy credited her ancestry, performing in New York City under the drag name Miss Y, as her inspiration for her Ursula The little mermaid.
“There’s a transvestite in me,” McCarthy said AU in an interview. “I’m always on the verge of dating her full-time… Keeping the wit, the sadness and the poignancy for Ursula is all I want in a character – and frankly, all I want in a drag queen wants.”
Alan Menken confirmed to the publication that the animated character was inspired by drag queen Divine.
McCarthy also described her character as unique, saying, “She’s the villain, but she has such an edge. She’s put in this hole. It’s like she’s had too many martinis alone. Your friends are eels. It’s ‘ a woman who saw it, sat in it, dug it out. All my credentials are terrible, but I kept thinking, ‘Man Pall Mall had this woman.’
The little mermaid is in theaters on May 26 and is directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay by David Magee. McCarthy shares the big screen with Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel, and Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Prince Eric. The cast includes Javier Bardem as King Triton, as well as Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay and Noma Dumezweni.
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
