Ursula, the iconic mermaid witch from Disney's The Little Mermaid, is known for her striking appearance, particularly her unique and captivating hair. Her hair is an integral part of her character design, emphasizing her power and otherworldly nature. Ursula's hair is a vibrant shade of purple and is often portrayed as voluminous and wild, giving her a dramatic and commanding presence. It is also styled in a distinctive manner, with long, tentacle-like locks that float and move independently, adding to her intimidating allure. Ursula's hair serves as a visual representation of her magical abilities and adds an element of mystique to her overall image. With its bold color and unconventional shape, Ursula's mermaid witch hair is a symbol of her strength, dominance, and villainous nature.
In a tweet earlier this month, former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Kerri Colby cited King’s work as an example of “why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often.”
Though King conceded that he and McCarthy laughed about how much we love drag queens and drag makeup and stuff, he claimed that his vision for Ursula wasn t based on Divine or any drag acts at all. In a tweet earlier this month, former RuPaul s Drag Race contestant Kerri Colby cited King s work as an example of why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often.
With its bold color and unconventional shape, Ursula's mermaid witch hair is a symbol of her strength, dominance, and villainous nature..
‘Little Mermaid’ makeup artist calls Ursula criticism ‘ridiculous’ and ‘offensive’
The makeup artist for Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” has responded to criticism surrounding the movie’s depiction of Ursula.
The nefarious sea witch — played by Melissa McCarthy in the new film — was originally inspired by Baltimore drag queen Divine. And some have argued that the studio should have hired a member of the LGBTQ+ community to style the beloved character for the 2023 adaptation, which opened in theaters this weekend.
But Peter Smith King, the British hair and makeup artist who created Ursula’s look for the blockbuster, called that criticism “ridiculous” in a recent interview with Insider.
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Pat Carroll, who voiced Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” died Saturday at 95. The role defined Disney’s queer canon — and helped launch a renaissance.
“I find that very offensive,” he said. “Why can’t I do as good a job as a queer makeup artist?”
“That’s trying to claim it and that’s fine, if that’s what they wanna do, but don’t put people down because they’re not what they want it to be,” he added.
King also denied taking inspiration from the 1989 animated version of “The Little Mermaid” while styling McCarthy — despite her gravity-defying white plume of hair, dramatic eye-shadow and scarlet lipstick strongly resembling the animation from the original film.
Ursula’s ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ terrified Melissa McCarthy. Then she got over herself
Melissa McCarthy was terrified of Ursula’s song, ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls,’ in ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Until, that is, she stopped trying to sing it as herself.
“No, no. It was me. I didn’t really draw on anything. I played around quite a lot with different colors, different shapes, and stuff,” King told Insider.
Advertisement“It just was sort of Melissa and I talking and creating. So I didn’t really draw on anything at all.”
Though King conceded that he and McCarthy “laughed about how much we love drag queens and drag makeup and stuff,” he claimed that his vision for Ursula wasn’t “based on Divine” or “any drag acts at all.”
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“I personally don’t get it,” he continued. “Yes, I’m very old now . but a makeup artist or makeup designer could design makeup, they don’t have to have an attachment to the nature of what they’re doing.”
In a tweet earlier this month, former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Kerri Colby cited King’s work as an example of “why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often.”
“Hate to be shady but they should have hired a drag queen,” another person tweeted. “This make up looks like me 13 years ago, when I was drunk before pride one year.”
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Disney’s live-action version updates, and honors, ‘Part of Your World,’ ‘Under the Sea’ and more with help from a dance company and 86-piece orchestra.
At the Los Angeles premiere of “The Little Mermaid,” McCarthy exalted drag performers and said that she always knew Ursula was based on Divine even though she “couldn’t prove it” when the cartoon came out decades ago.
“She just had to be,” McCarthy told Deadline.
“The makeup, the look, the attitude — and now we know that yes, she was of course based on Divine. So that coming full circle to me . I just hope to do every incredible drag queen proud and Divine proud.”
Christi Carras is an entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a Times intern after graduating from UCLA and has also worked at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN.
“Hate to be shady but they should have hired a drag queen,” another person tweeted. “This make up looks like me 13 years ago, when I was drunk before pride one year.”
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Reviews for "Steppin' Out with Ursula: How to Rock a Head-Turning Mermaid Witch Hairdo"
1. John - 1 star
I was extremely disappointed with the Ursula mermaid witch hair wig. The quality was subpar, with strands of synthetic hair falling out as soon as I took it out of the packaging. The color was also completely off, nowhere near the vibrant purple shown in the picture. Additionally, the wig was extremely uncomfortable to wear, with scratchy material and an ill-fitting design. Overall, a complete waste of money.
2. Emily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the Ursula mermaid witch hair wig, but it failed to meet my expectations. The wig looked fabulous in the pictures, but in reality, it was extremely thin and lacked volume. It barely covered my own hair, which ruined the overall effect. The color was the only redeeming feature, as it was a beautiful shade of purple. However, the low quality and poor fit make it difficult for me to recommend this wig to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was excited to try out the Ursula mermaid witch hair wig for a costume party, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The wig was difficult to style and lacked the desired volume, leaving me with a flat and lifeless appearance. The hair was also quite stiff and felt unnatural. Despite the vibrant color, I would not repurchase this wig or recommend it to others, as there are better options available at a similar price point.