Warning: the following article contains spoilers for ‘The Little Mermaid.’
Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid turned the story we all know and love into more of a family affair, rather than a story of a young mermaid wanting to be free. The film made a handful of minor changes that made the story slightly more interesting, such as making Ursula related to King Triton and giving more depth to these characters.
Another set of characters that receive major changes is Ariel’s sisters. In the animated film, there were only seen at the start and end of the movie. This wasn’t the case in the 2023 live-action as they received more of a speaking role. So who are these mer-sisters in The Little Mermaid?
Who are Ariel’s sisters in ‘The Little Mermaid?’
In the ’80s animated film, Ariel’s sisters were mostly seen as singers. They perform in front of all the merfolk in Atlantica and are considered to be princesses since they’re Triton’s daughters. This changed in the live-action adaptation as they’re now in charge of the seven seas.
The live-action adaptation also changed the names of these siblings. Their names are Caspia, Indirna, Karina, Mala, Perla, and Tamika. According to YouLoveIt.com, Disney released a guidebook, titled The Little Mermaid: Guide to Merfolk. It shared more details about these mermaids before the live-action film was released, such as where each of these mermaids resides. In the 2023 film, Ariel’s sisters play a more caretaker role in the ocean rather than performers. They help assist in cleaning the ocean whenever humans leave shipwrecks, as well as assisting their father in other mermaid duties.
While they’ve received slightly increased screen time in the live-action film, they’re shown to be loyal to their father’s wishes and are happy to be in the waters, unlike their younger sister who dreams of the world beyond.
