Disney’s hunt for Prince Eric in their live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is finally over, it would seem.
While it was announced earlier this year that Grammy-nominated singer Halle Bailey would be taking on the leading role of Ariel, the search for her romantic lead hasn’t quite been so smooth.
Former One Direction singer Harry Styles was originally thought to have landed the role, but he eventually confirmed that he’d turned down the part, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming it’s now been given to relative unknown Jonah Hauer-King.
If you’re one of those left asking “who?” after reading the news of Jonah’s casting, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Jonah Hauer-King?
Well, we’re so glad you asked! The 24-year-old (five years older than co-star Halle Bailey) was born and raised in London, and educated at Eton and Cambridge University, where he studied theology and religious studies (fancy!).
Jonah also holds dual-citizenship, as his mum is an American theatre producer, while his dad is a British restaurateur.
Have we seen him in anything before?
Jonah began his career appearing in short films, eventually making his big-screen debut in the 2017 drama The Last Photograph.
He went on to appear in Postcards From London, Ashes In The Snow and two episodes of the mini-series Howards End.
OK… but seriously, have we seen him in anything before?
Alright, his most famous role to date is probably in the BBC’s 2017 adaptation of Little Women, where he starred as Laurie opposite Maya Hawke, Emily Watson and Angela Lansbury.
Dog lovers might also have seen him in the family adventure film A Dog’s Way Home earlier this year, for which he’s currently awaiting an Academy Award nomination.
Jonah can currently be seen in the BBC war drama World On Fire, in which he plays translator Harry Chase who joins the British army as an Officer.
Does he have anything else in the pipeline?
Aside from what’s potentially the most-anticipated of all of Disney’s live-action remakes, Jonas is set to appear in the new film Once Upon A Time In Staten Island, alongside Naomi Watts and Frank Grillo.
He’s also filming the TV movie Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar.
We don’t suppose there’s any other news on the rest of the cast of the Little Mermaid remake, is there?
Weirdly not. While Disney announced Halle Bailey’s casting pretty early on, they’re being a bit more tight-lipped about the rest of the stars.
Melissa McCarthy, Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay have all been heavily tipped to be playing Ursula, Scuttle and Flounder respectively, but as of yet, these rumours remain unconfirmed.
Watch this space, we suppose...