Melissa McCarthy says drag queens inspired her role as Ursula in ‘The Little Mermaid’

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Melissa McCarthy disclosed the inspiration for her role as Ursula in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid.

The actress expressed her love for drag shows and revealed that drag queens inspired her portrayal of the iconic Disney villain.

McCarthy also spoke about her inner drag queen persona, Miss Y, and how she utilized her experiences from the New York club scene to bring a mix of humor, sadness, and edginess to the character.

According to McCarthy, Ursula is a woman who has seen it all and been through tough times, evident in her lair and her eel friends.

Despite her poor references, the actress is excited about bringing her interpretation of the character to life.

Melissa McCarthy is giving me campiness as Ursula. pic.twitter.com/oqk6hgxQLc

— gregoire. (@mistergeezy) April 9, 2023

When speaking about how she secured the role, the Gilmore Girls alum stated that she had to give it her best shot or she would "regret it forever."

"I literally was like, 'Please, please, please! I'll bring craft services. I make a great chicken salad, hummus. I can bring snacks,'" McCarthy recalled. "I don't know what lunacy went through my head, because I'm not known as a singer, but I just have always been so strangely in love with Ursula that I thought I can try and lose, but if I don't at least try for it, I'll regret it forever."

Speaking of McCarthy, Marshall also added: "I have to say, when you see her in this, you will not believe it because it's unlike anything she's ever done. It's really astonishing. Of course she's funny and wild, but there's such depth to what she's doing as an actor."

McCarthy stars alongside Halle Bailey as Ariel and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric in Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake.



The Little Mermaid is set to hit the big screens on May 26.

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