Bringing “The Little Mermaid” to the live-action realm was no easy feat. Along with ensuring that the songs, characters, and story beats lived up to the legacy of the original 1989 animated classic, there was also the practical matter of making live actors look and move like mermaids — including Javier Bardem, whose role as King Triton required plenty of prep.
Already an avid swimmer, Bardem told British GQ that after securing the part, he used his swimming time to get into the proper head space. “I would go under the water to see how my body reacted against the opposition of the water,” he explained. “It’s something that you know about, but you’re not very aware of unless you are a professional.” While shooting the movie, the actors often had rigs moving them through blue screen environments that would later be transformed into Ariel’s (Halle Bailey) underwater home.
Even with his training, Bardem’s skills were put to the test, since he had to pretend to move through water when there was none. “That’s the part that’s really challenging,” he added. “So with every movement, they will be like ‘Okay, now you are going like this,’ so they change the rig, and then ‘Now you’re gonna lay like that,’ and they change the rig again.” Still, whether handling an average day or a brush with mortality while on set, it’s hard to say that Bardem gave it anything less than his very best in bringing Triton to life.
