Let’s be real: remaking a classic is a suicide mission. Especially when you're touching the 1989 crown jewel of the Disney Renaissance. But when the first teasers for the Ursula Little Mermaid 2023 version dropped, the internet didn't just whisper; it roared. Most of that noise was centered on one person: Melissa McCarthy.
People were worried. Could the lady from Bridesmaids actually pull off the campy, terrifying, drag-inspired menace of the original sea witch?
It turns out, the 2023 version did a lot more than just slap some purple paint on a famous comedian. It fundamentally rewired who Ursula is, how she relates to King Triton, and even how her magic works. If you haven't seen it in a while, or you're wondering why your hardcore Disney friends are still debating the "sister" plotline, here is the breakdown of what actually went down under the sea.
Ursula Little Mermaid 2023: The Family Drama We Never Knew
The biggest shift in the 2023 movie isn't the CGI or the lighting. It’s the DNA.
In the 1989 original, Ursula is just a banished sea witch with a grudge. She mentions "living in the palace" once, and that’s about it. In the Ursula Little Mermaid 2023 reimagining, director Rob Marshall made a choice that had been floating around the Disney vaults for decades: he made Ursula and King Triton siblings.
Yeah. Ursula is Ariel’s aunt.
This changes the vibe completely. It’s no longer just a random villain trying to take over a kingdom; it’s a messy, multi-generational family feud. McCarthy plays this with a specific kind of bitterness that feels personal. She isn't just hungry for power; she’s hungry for revenge against a brother who cast her out. Javier Bardem, who plays Triton, brings a heavy-handed regality that makes you actually believe these two shared a dinner table once upon a time.
Why the Aunt Twist Matters
- The Motive: Ursula’s hatred isn't abstract. She feels entitled to the throne.
- The Stakes: Ariel isn't just a pawn; she’s a relative Ursula is happy to Corrupt.
- The History: It explains why Ursula knows exactly which buttons to push with Triton.
Melissa McCarthy and the Drag Queen Connection
If you know anything about the original Ursula, you know she was based on the legendary drag performer Divine. The high arched eyebrows, the "body language," the sheer audacity—it was all drag.
When McCarthy was cast, she was very vocal about her own history performing in drag in New York City under the name Miss Y. She leaned into that. Honestly, you can hear it in the way she growls through "Poor Unfortunate Souls." There’s a theatricality there that feels like it belongs on a stage, not just a green screen.
However, the makeup caused a massive stir online.
The artist behind the look, Peter Smith King, faced a lot of heat from the LGBTQ+ community. People argued that if the character is a tribute to drag, a queer artist should have been the one to design the face. King defended his work, saying he wanted to make Ursula look "human" (well, as human as an octopus-lady gets) and that he and McCarthy specifically collaborated on the look. Whether you love the "textured" skin and the asymmetrical eyebrows or think it looked a bit "home-done," there’s no denying it was a departure from the smooth, animated purple skin of the past.
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The Magic Has New Rules (And They’re Meaner)
One of the most annoying plot holes people always point out in the original movie is: Why doesn't Ariel just write a note to Prince Eric?
The 2023 movie fixes this with a "memory wipe" clause.
In the Ursula Little Mermaid 2023 contract, Ursula adds a little extra spice to the spell. She makes Ariel forget that she even needs a kiss to stay human. It’s a genius move for a villain. It makes Ursula feel much more manipulative and dangerous. She isn't just taking Ariel’s voice; she’s gaslighting her.
This makes the romance between Ariel (Halle Bailey) and Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) feel way more authentic. Since Ariel doesn't remember the deadline, she isn't "hunting" for a kiss. They just hang out, look at maps, and bond over being "outsiders" in their own worlds. Ursula, meanwhile, sits in her cave watching them like a reality TV producer who just realized her stars are actually getting along.
Poor Unfortunate Lyrics
We have to talk about the music.
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Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda teamed up to tweak the soundtrack. Most people noticed the new songs, like "Wild Uncharted Waters," but the changes to "Poor Unfortunate Souls" were the real talking point.
They cut a whole section. Specifically, the part where Ursula tells Ariel that men on land don't like "blabber" and that "it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word."
The reasoning? Menken felt those lines might send the wrong message to young girls about speaking up. Some fans hated this, arguing that Ursula is a villain and villains are supposed to say bad things. Others felt it made sense to modernize the message. McCarthy still delivers the song with incredible "sass," but the vibe is definitely more about her own power and less about 1950s gender roles.
The Final Showdown: Is it Scary?
The climax of the 2023 film is... dark. Visually and tonally.
When Ursula gets the trident and grows into a kaiju-sized monster, the CGI gets intense. Unlike the cartoon, where the "Giant Ursula" scene felt a bit like a fever dream, the live-action version feels like a disaster movie. There’s thunder, massive whirlpools, and a very large, very angry Melissa McCarthy towering over the ocean.
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Interestingly, they changed who delivers the final blow. In the original, Eric steers the ship into Ursula. In 2023, it’s Ariel who takes control of the shipwreck to save Eric. It’s a small change, but it gives Ariel a lot more agency in her own story.
What to Look for on Your Next Rewatch
If you're going to dive back into the movie, pay attention to these specific details:
- The Bioluminescence: Look at Ursula's tentacles. They actually glow in the dark parts of her lair, which is a cool nod to real-life deep-sea creatures.
- The Shell: Her nautilus shell is much more "organic" looking than the yellow one from the cartoon. It looks like something she actually grew or harvested.
- The Eels: Flotsam and Jetsam don't talk in this one. They’re just realistic, creepy eels. It makes Ursula feel more lonely, which fits the "exiled sister" vibe.
- The Vanessa Transformation: Jessica Alexander plays the human version of Ursula (Vanessa). She’s only on screen for a few minutes, but she nails the "McCarthy-trapped-in-a-model's-body" energy perfectly.
The Ursula Little Mermaid 2023 performance is a weird, wonderful mix of high-camp drag and genuine family resentment. It might not replace Pat Carroll’s iconic 1989 voice in your head, but it definitely carves out its own space in the Disney villain hall of fame.
To get the full experience, try watching the 1989 and 2023 versions back-to-back. You'll notice that while the plot is mostly the same, the character of Ursula has evolved from a simple sea witch into a much more complex, and frankly more tragic, figure. Check out the "Making of" features on Disney+ to see the rig McCarthy had to sit in to simulate those eight moving tentacles—it's actually pretty wild how much physical work went into a CGI character.