Who played King Triton in Disney’s live-action ‘The Little Mermaid?’

So cue the music, grab the popcorn, and watch a teenage mermaid fall in love with a prince.

Received well by critics and fans alike, this retelling from the house of mouse is about as good as a live-action The Little Mermaid can get these days. It’s true that some of the remakes that Disney has churned out lately haven’t all been winners, but 2023’s The Little Mermaid certainly stands out from that bunch. At least a little bit.

The special effects are good, the set pieces stun, and the perfomances are top notch. What more could you ask for? More than that, it pays homage to its predecessor with a surprising level of detail — adding new twists along the way, like any great remake should.

One particular standout comes by way of King Triton, Ariels no-nonsense father and all-powerful sea god / mermaid king. A beloved character from the classic film, Triton plays a massive role in developing Ariel’s character throughout the story.

Plus, he destroys all her gadgets and gizmos. Which is rude, but memorable. In the new, live-action version of the film King Triton get a bit of a face lift, and is presented as a much more intimidating merman than the white-bearded figurehead of old. So who plays him?

Who is King Triton in the new The Little Mermaid?

In the live-action The Little Mermaid King Triton is played by legendary Spanish actor Javier Bardem. Bardem, a veteran of the stage and screen, has appeared in some of world’s most memorable bits of cinema. Meaning he can finally add The Little Mermaid to that list too.

At 54-years-old, Javier Bardem has acted in modern classics like Dune and Skyfall — while also appearing in headier pieces like No Country For Old Men or Jamón Jamón.

He’s an actor, producer, entertainer, and philanthropist that is as endearing as he is enigmatic. And boy do we love him for it Bardem’s latest appearance on the silver screen was supposed to be this fall with the release of Dune: Part 2, but because the film has been pushed back to 2024 on of the Hollywood strikes — all you Bardem fans out there are going to have to wait a while to see him back on Arrakis.

At any rate, there you have it. Javier Bardem is King Triton. Now, when you finally decide to rewatch The Little Mermaid on Disney Plus, (it’s only a matter of time) you can tell anyone who will listen all about Javier Bardem and how great he is.