Credit: DisneyAhead of the release of 2023’s The Little Mermaid, one of its stars is putting in her bid to join a different Disney-owned franchise: Star Wars. And odds are, her top pick for a role isn’t who you’d expect.
Director Rob Marshall’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid splashes into theaters this month. Led by Halle Bailey, who’s stepping into the role of Ariel, the all-star cast also features Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, and Simone Ashley as Indira.
Check out the official trailer for Walt Disney Studios’ The Little Mermaid below:
Similarly to the 1989 animated classic of the same name, The Little Mermaid will follow the story of Ariel, a headstrong young woman who falls head over flipper in love with Prince Eric after she saves him from a deadly shipwreck.
Fascinated by the human world, Ariel defies her father’s washes to be on land, bargaining her voice for a pair of legs thanks to the conniving sea witch, Ursula—a choice that has some severe consequences for the worlds above and below the surface.
Also rounding out the cast is award-winning comedian and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) actress, Awkwafina, who voices a gender-swapped version of Scuttle in the new film. And even though the movie has yet to arrive in theaters, Awkwafina is already searching for her next gig with Disney—particularly in Star Wars.
Speaking with Screen Rant in a recent interview alongside her co-star Jacob Tremblay, who plays Flounder, Awkwafina expressed interest in joining Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s “Mando-Verse,” pitching her perhaps uncanny idea for a character closely linked to Grogu (AKA Baby Yoda).
During the interview, Awkwafina was asked about the potential of her joining the Star Wars universe now that she’s starred in Raya and the Last Dragon, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and The Little Mermaid, to round out her official Disney trifecta.Â
In response, Awkwafina said that she’s “definitely trying to get a part,” but weirdly enough, as “Baby Yoda’s girlfriend:”
I’m definitely trying to get a part as Baby Yoda’s girlfriend. If that exists, let me know. A live-action Raya would be awesome, too. Although I actually thought Raya was like I was in a live action because it looks so real. But yeah, it’s an honor to to be doing movies like these.
Check out the full interview below:
While it’s safe to say that Grogu has a little more growing up to do before he’s ready to fling himself into a romance, Awkwafina would undoubtedly make a fun addition to the galaxy far, far away. And she’s not the only big-time celebrity who wants to act with baby Grogu.
Recently, Grammy-winning recording artist Lizzo made a cameo in Season 3, Episode 6 of The Mandalorian, where her character, the Duchess of Plazir-15, formed an instant connection with Grogu after his pseudo-dad, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), and his ally, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), traveled to the planet in search of the Mandalorian fleet.
Other Hollywood A-listers have appeared in the show, including Bill Burr, Jack Black, Christopher Lloyd, Jason Sudeikis, and John Leguizamo. Because of this, an Awkwafina cameo–or even a full-fledged role—certainly isn’t out of the picture.
While starring in a live-action remake of Raya and the Last Dragon would be just as exciting, it would surely be a major accomplishment for Awkwafina to check off the last box in her Disney franchise list with a role in Star Wars. Who knows? Maybe Disney already has something in store for her.
You can catch Awkwafina as Scuttle in The Little Mermaid when it arrives in theaters on May 26, 2023.
Would you like to see Awkwafina join the galaxy far, far away? Share your thoughts in the comments below.