Winning over devoted fans of a Disney hall-of-fame film like 1989’s The Little Mermaid was anything but “bubbles,” and translating the animated characters to real-life actors was nearly impossible. While the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid seems to be moving along swimmingly with over $300 million at the box office, the magic onscreen could have been more seamless to create. ...

One “little” casting decision sent shockwaves through Disney fandom, even bursting the Disney bubble. Disney fans and beyond have witnessed the peaks and valleys of a tenacious Little Mermaid’s journey for almost a year, but do we know how she landed the iconic role? In the 25 years since Brandy was cast in the acclaimed Cinderella, a Disney princess hasn’t been crowned with ...