Queen Latifah, 49, stole the show from the moment she started singing “Poor Unfortunate Souls” during The Live Mermaid Live! broadcast. She commanded the stage from beginning to end. She transformed into the iconic Disney villain and made quite the entrance. Complete with white hair in Ursula’s signature updo and a black latex dress, Queen Latifah hit the stage and owned it. Her vocals were powerful and totally unforgettable.
Queen Latifah performed alongside Auli’i Cravalho’s Ariel during “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” The song is performed during the part in Ariel’s story where Ariel makes a deal with Ursula to transform her into a human for three days. All she has to do is give Ursula her voice for those three days. But there’s a catch. Ariel must receive the kiss of true love from Prince Eric in order to stay human. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how the story ends! Hint: there’s a happily ever after!
Auli’i told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that she was most looking forward to Queen Latifah’s performance. “I cannot imagine what Queen Latifah’s going to bring to that role. She is just oozing confidence. I can’t wait to see it,” Auli’i revealed to HL back in Aug. 2019 during the TCA summer press tour.
Queen Latifah and Auli’i starred in The Little Mermaid Live! alongside Graham Phillips, who plays Prince Eric, John Stamos, who plays Chef Louis, and Shaggy, who plays Sebastian. ABC’s live musical event, in honor of the animated Disney movie’s 30th anniversary, included songs from the original movie and the Broadway production. During the broadcast, the movie was interwoven into the live production. The Little Mermaid Live! kept us riveted from the first performance.