Terry Crews Wants To Play King Triton In The Live-Action 'Little Mermaid' So Bad He's Even Turned To Photoshop To Help His Case
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images, @SonOfADoug/Twitter
Terry Crews is campaigning hard for the role of King Triton in the upcoming live action re-imagining of Disney's animated classic, The Little Mermaid.
The announcement of Rob Marshall's film rippled across social media for its racially controversial casting of 19-year-old black actress, Halle Bailey (not to be confused with Halle Berry) as Ariel, and American rapper Lizzo suggested replacing the rumored casting of Melissa McCarthy with herself as Ursula, the sea witch.
Now, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and former NFL player is testing the waters with his own contribution to all the Little Mermaid hubbub.
His wittiness and secret longing to be a part of your world is making quite a splash on the internet.
Crews, 50, posted an artist rendering of himself as the ruler of the sea and father to the mermaid who falls in love with a human.
He tasked followers to help manifest his dream role by tweeting:
"IF YALL RETWEET IT ENOUGH MAYBE IT'LL HAPPEN!"
IF YALL RETWEET IT ENOUGH MAYBE IT’LL HAPPEN! 🧜🏾♀️🧜🏾♂️ KING TRITON! 🔱 #TerryForTriton #MermanLife… https://t.co/VAYXXn82fz— terry crews (@terry crews) 1562706235.0
The artist behind the dramatic rendering of Crews rocking his crown and mighty six-pack is Australian digital artist BossLogic, whose real name is Kode.
Fans are all on board for Crews to rule the seven seas. His tweet already received well over 15,500 likes as of this writing.
Thanks to BossLogic, casting directors should have no problem imagining how the actor's portrayal would captivate audiences.
If the artist's rendition doesn't do it on its own merit, maybe this will.
@terrycrews When Ariel tells you she loves a human , King Terry Triton should totally act like this https://t.co/zTBXZZefWq— Renato (@Renato) 1562717791.0
We can see it now.
@terrycrews I'm picturing it now, King Triton but played like Chris' father in Everybody Hates Chris. "WHY DID YOU… https://t.co/JxjkAEDBvS— iKyUwUki [TheCrUwU] @ Commissions open (@iKyUwUki [TheCrUwU] @ Commissions open) 1562706370.0
@trainedquiller @terrycrews https://t.co/3YsEzqSOIH— iKyUwUki [TheCrUwU] @ Commissions open (@iKyUwUki [TheCrUwU] @ Commissions open) 1562707140.0
@terrycrews terry loves tridents.— Brigadier General Jason, Attorney At Law. (@Brigadier General Jason, Attorney At Law.) 1562706373.0
The enthusiasm is real and fans are crossing their fingers.
@terrycrews 💯% behind this! ❤️— AGT Auditions (@AGT Auditions) 1562706549.0
@terrycrews #TERRYFORTRITON !!! IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN @Disney !!— Elton T'Nasc (@Elton T'Nasc) 1562707090.0
@terrycrews @DisneyStudiosLA We need this! I need this! TT— The-Black-Terror (@The-Black-Terror) 1562709195.0
@terrycrews Lmao! I seen this and did not look at who tweeted the picture. I was thinking to myself. Terry Crews is… https://t.co/sehppauX6Q— Just_Julie (@Just_Julie) 1562729647.0
@terrycrews The guy in the shower cap is Disney https://t.co/howvJfiT3f— RedLexington631 (@RedLexington631) 1562720779.0
@terrycrews If you play Ariel’s dad, Disney will have my money. 💯%.— John McRoberts 🇻🇦🇮🇱 (@John McRoberts 🇻🇦🇮🇱) 1562439397.0
One user suggested this as incentive.
@terrycrews Well okay, but only if there's a scene where he beats up Ursula using nothing but his pecs— ᴀ ᴡɪʟᴅ Evan ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀs (@ᴀ ᴡɪʟᴅ Evan ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀs) 1562437974.0
The exposure spawned opportunities for the actor to bring other cartoon personalities to life.
@terrycrews Why not Terry for He-Man instead? #TerryForHeMan https://t.co/MtA2HuvZxX— Yee Yee Cris™️ (@Yee Yee Cris™️) 1562709702.0
Last Saturday, before upping his game, Crews dipped his foot in the water to prove he is worthy as "Ariel's Dad" by posting a more modest approach with a Photoshopped image of himself in front of King Triton's castle.
He later added in a followup tweet:
"Good thing I skip leg day because mermen don't have legs!"
Ariel’s Dad!!!! 🧜♀️ #ArielsGotTerry #AmericasGotTerry https://t.co/OMEXfmpWPE— terry crews (@terry crews) 1562437833.0
While Team Crews is bubbling, others campaigned for Idris Elba in the role.
I’ve said this from day one: please make Idris Elba King Triton. @disney https://t.co/WwguxtwLGV— Kirbie Johnson (@Kirbie Johnson) 1562184660.0
And BossLogic updated his portfolio with this latest entry.
So are we getting @idriselba as King Triton now? 😁 #TheLittleMermaid https://t.co/jD6Afcxmk1— BossLogic (@BossLogic) 1562223344.0
@kirbiejohnson @Disney Agreed https://t.co/AIpiOrIzbB— eric (@eric) 1562206322.0
So far, casting announcements confirm Halle Bailey – one half of the R&B duo CHLOE X HALLE – will star as Ariel; Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina will voice the gender-swapped seagull, Scuttle; and Room child actor Jacob Tremblay will lend his voice as Ariel's loyal companion, Flounder.
Rumored casting includes Melissa McCarthy voicing Ursula. Disney has yet to announce casting for King Triton or Prince Eric.
The original voice actress for Ariel from the 1989 film, Jodi Benson, offered her voice of reason to quell the backsplash over casting for Halle Bailey in the titular role.
Her wisdom could also apply towards whomever gets cast as King Triton.
"I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters. What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart and their spirit is what really counts."
Disney did not announce an official release date but production is rumored to begin around April 2020.
Who will ultimately claim the sea crown? We'll just have to go with the flow.
Crews cut his teeth playing a dad on the comedy Everybody Hates Chris, available as a complete series here.
Mom Goes All Out For Daughter's 'Crazy Hair' Day At School, And She Deserves All The Prizes
That devoted crustacean wasn't kidding when he told Ariel that the human world was a mess. But it doesn't mean you can't tie it up nicely in a braid and keep on keeping on.
A mother channeled The Little Mermaid as inspiration to style her youngest daughter Atlantis's hair to slay a "crazy hair day" contest at her school.
The four-year-old's older sister, Ariel, proudly posted a photo of the result that was no contest. Not only was Atlantis's fish tail braid green to mimic the mermaid's tail, but the incorporation of the ultimate prop was the icing on the cake, and the look is making waves on the internet.
Take a look at her hair-did.
my sister had crazy hair day at school today and my mom was not playing games and really wanted her to win 😂 https://t.co/owo78whIWI— Ariel (@Ariel) 1553011133
"My sister had crazy hair day at school today and my mom was not playing games and really wanted her to win," Ariel wrote about her mom's sink-or-swim determination.
Ariel explained to Buzzfeed News how her mother, April Castillo, arrived at the winning look that took 25 minutes to achieve.
"My mom picked the hairstyle. She had seen people use a paper doll and wasn't really feeling it, so she went the extra mile and added a real-life doll."
@aireuhl_ https://t.co/W63y5MDmwN— 𝐯𝐚𝐥✨ (@𝐯𝐚𝐥✨) 1553127685
So what inspired the Little Mermaid look? The answer lies in the fact that the seaweed is always greener on somebody else's head.
"My parents have always had quite an obsession with 'Under the Sea', so my sisters and I have always loved mermaids."
my mom did the mermaid because my name is ariel and my sister is Atlantis which is where ariel lives under the sea… https://t.co/66miymaWI9— Ariel (@Ariel) 1553026953
Ariel added that their dad, Miguel Castillo, had a huge role in completing the look.
"What no one has noticed is that the bra Ariel is wearing is homemade. My dad made it out of tape because she was a topless doll, but my mom couldn't let my sister go to school with a topless doll."
It's no surprise who swam their way to the top of the competition.
Yes my sister did win crazy hair day!! She’s only in pre-K lmao y’all just wait for my mom the upcoming years— Ariel (@Ariel) 1553033715
@aireuhl_ I know she won thats awesome, moms was not playing. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾— 🏈🤔TT8😲 Savage - Tarius🏀🎾 (@🏈🤔TT8😲 Savage - Tarius🏀🎾) 1553180333
@aireuhl_ The closure I needed, your mom killed that— Bryan Uribe (@Bryan Uribe) 1553180479
@aireuhl_ Wow! That’s amazing mermaid hair! Happy she won 😀— Stephanie Ruble (@Stephanie Ruble) 1553180462
@aireuhl_ AS SHE SHOULDDDD— Antonella (@Antonella) 1553200515
People were so impressed with April's mad skillz, they hoped for a tutorial to duplicate the look for themselves. Ask and you shall receive!
Stay tuned. A YouTube video is on its way soon.
Everyone wants to see an in depth video of how my mom made the braid. We will be making a video on my YouTube chann… https://t.co/JQtnwcccDQ— Ariel (@Ariel) 1553198032
Others shared their impressive "crazy hair" ideas.
@aireuhl_ my mom made sure my 5 y/o lil sis won her crazy hair day at school too 🤪🤩 and ofc my 3 y/o lil sis wanted… https://t.co/OCtlwZBoKt— уαzмιηє (@уαzмιηє) 1553090711
@aireuhl_ When my son had crazy hair day I did this to him lol https://t.co/EEKnUY3ABn— 🧜🏼♀️ Janeth Saucedo 🧜🏼♀️ (@🧜🏼♀️ Janeth Saucedo 🧜🏼♀️) 1553060379
@aireuhl_ @says_Denise https://t.co/cfa1C24Wni— $olid ❤️ (@$olid ❤️) 1553050412
Future moms were inspired to do great things. Just remember that when you come up dry for creativity, hope floats. Keep on swimming.
when I have kids I’m going hard for everything they have , can’t waitttt https://t.co/zNdGFKB5Hk— erykaaaa (@erykaaaa) 1553100873
Crazy hair day is a thing, and the world is better for it.
@aireuhl_ The fact that "crazy hair day" is an actual thing at schools in America makes me really happy.— Fox (@Fox) 1553086968
Sometimes, the internet is a happy place.