Daveed Diggs Tapped to Play Sebastian in Live-Action Little Mermaid Film

Daveed Diggs could be headed under the sea. The Tony-winning Hamilton breakout star is in final negotiations to play the cranky but supportive crab Sebastian in Disney's upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, according to Variety.

Diggs won the Best Featured Actor in a Musical Tony Award for his Broadway debut as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton. Currently appearing as a special guest star in Broadway's Freestyle Love Supreme, Diggs earned an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination earlier this year for his off-Broadway turn in White Noise.

As previously announced, Halle Bailey will take on the central role of Ariel in the live-action film, with Melissa McCarthy as the evil sea witch Ursula. Javier Bardem has been rumored to play King Triton.

Rob Marshall will direct the remake, which will feature additional songs by original composer Alan Menken and Diggs' Hamilton pal Lin-Manuel Miranda.

This Little Mermaid film is not to be confused with ABC's upcoming Little Mermaid Live! broadcast, which will feature Auli'i Cravalho as Ariel and Shaggy as Sebastian.