‘I had never sung before’: Jacob Tremblay reveals the snafu that almost occurred while recording a key song for ‘The Little Mermaid’

Imagine standing on the world’s biggest stage next to some of the biggest names in the industry singing one of the most well-known songs of all time in one of Disney’s most beloved animated movies ever made. Now imagine doing that at 13 years old and never having sung before. For actor Jacob Tremblay, he didn’t have to imagine what that would be like because he lived it on the set of Rob Marshall’s live-action The Little Mermaid. 

The now-16-year-old revealed in an interview with People that the daunting experience was anything but effortless, especially since he was flanked by Halle Bailey and Daveed Diggs, both of whom have been praised for their singing with a Grammy nomination and a Tony Award, respectively. 

“It was definitely a learning curve for me because I had never sung before for anything. So I was kind of learning the ropes of it.”

Thankfully, though, a little misunderstanding went a long way to helping calm Tremblay’s nerves. As it turns out, he had no idea his final studio session was live. When Bailey, Diggs, and Awkwafina showed up in the sound studio, he just assumed it was a crowded rehearsal. He had no clue it was the real deal. 

“I was just like, ‘Okay, well since everyone’s watching, I better just give a hundred percent anyway, even though it’s just rehearsal.’ And thank God I did that because it turns out that was real.” 

In the film, Tremblay plays Ariel’s anxious best friend Flounder. Carrying that friendship into the real world, Tremblay said Bailey offered him some wise words to help tackle his nerves. In fact, she shared with him an adage we’re all familiar with.

“[She] actually gave me some really good advice because this was obviously my first time singing and I was very nervous about it. I remember talking to her, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m so nervous about it. I don’t know why.’ And she gives me the advice to just picture—she says that she pictures everyone naked. At first thought, I was like, ‘that’s really weird.’ But honestly, it works and it definitely helped me.”

You know what they say – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Envisioning a naked audience might be a cliché, but it did the trick for Tremblay.

In addition to “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl,” “Under the Sea” is one of The Little Mermaid’s marquee songs. Its effervescent reputation has swayed more than a few hips in the 34 years since its 1989 premiere in the original The Little Mermaid. As such, there is more than a bit of pressure for Disney’s live-action reimagining to recapture the magic. In the original musical number, Flounder is seen but not heard, which just goes to show that Marshall’s live-action reimagining is on its way to changing a few of the film’s most iconic moments.