Jonah Hauer-King has reportedly been cast as Prince Eric in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
He is set to star opposite US singer Halle Bailey – who will play Ariel – in Disney’s latest reimagining of one of its classic films.
Harry Styles had been among the high-profile names linked with the highly coveted role of Eric, but it appears to be the largely unknown Hauer-King who has got the part.
Here’s what you need to know about the 24-year-old:
He has dual nationality
Hauer-King’s mother is an American theatre producer while his father is a British restaurateur.
It appears the actor is proud of his heritage as his Instagram bio consists of a US flag and the national flag of the UK.
He got his start in theatre
An early career role for Hauer-King was the lead part in psychological drama play Equus, while he was studying at Cambridge University.
He played Alan Strang, a boy accused of blinding six horses. Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe portrayed the character in a 2007 revival of the play.
He was named a rising star in 2016
The London Evening Standard named Hauer-King among London’s most influential young people in 2016, alongside ballet dancer Francesca Hayward, who will soon star in Cats.
The newspaper listed Hauer-King as being educated at Eton and “born and bred” in London.
He has starred in Little Women
Hauer-King played the character of Theodore “Laurie” Laurence in the BBC’s critically acclaimed 2017 adaption of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel.
The three-part series also starred Emily Watson and Maya Hawke. The latest Hollywood adaption of Little Women features Timothee Chalamet as Laurie.
Hauer-King’s other TV roles include World War Two drama World On Fire and a minor part in an adaption of Howards End.
The Little Mermaid is not his first foray into film
While he was largely unknown before being linked to the role of Prince Eric, Hauer-King already has several films under his belt.
They include family adventure film A Dog’s Way Home, which was released earlier this year and also featured A-listers Bryce Dallas Howard and Ashley Judd.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here