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ABC/Andrew EcclesQueen Latifah is among the stars of tonight’s ABC-TV event, The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live!, and the Oscar nominee is anxious to kick off the telecast, which she predicts will be “a blast.”
Latiffah portrays, Ursula, the sea witch in the cast which also features Moana‘s Auli’i Cravalho [ow-LEE-ee krah-VAH-lee-oh] as Ariel, John Stamos as Chef Louis, Shaggy as Sebastian, and Graham Phillips as Prince Eric.
The never-before-seen hybrid format will take viewers on a magical adventure under the sea, as live musical performances by a star-studded cast are interwoven into the broadcast of the original feature film.
“The energy that happens and what goes through your system when you’re about to perform something live is inexplicable,” Latifah says. “I think its gonna be a blast.”
The Girls Trip star actually enjoys the pressure of a live, televised performance.
“Some people don’t like pressure,” Latifah comments. ”I thrive under pressure.”
Latifah grew up in Newark, NJ, and she says appearing in The Little Mermaid Live! takes her back to her childhood.
“To be able to watch something that you may have to go to a theater usually to watch, to be able to watch it on television live is a great thing to be able to do,” she says.
“It just reminds me of growing up with my family,” Latifah recalls, “and being able to sit in front of the TV, and watch some fantastic thing happen that takes you to another place at least for a couple of hours of your life.”
The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.
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