5 Shocking Facts About Flounder's Controversial Redesign In The Little Mermaid Live-Action

The discussion surrounding Flounder’s appearance in Disney’s live-action remake of *The Little Mermaid* remains one of the most talked-about elements of the film, even long after its release. As of today, December 10, 2025, the debate over the hyper-realistic, less-cartoony CGI rendition of Ariel's best friend still sparks conversations across social media and fan forums. The initial glimpse of the character in the 2022 marketing materials set the internet ablaze, polarizing audiences who were expecting a continuation of the plump, bright-yellow, and blue animated classic from 1989. This deep dive explores the controversial redesign, the actor who brought him to life, and the creative rationale behind one of Disney's most divisive live-action choices.

The film, which premiered in May 2023, was a major cinematic event, but for many, the transformation of Flounder from a cheerful, round cartoon fish to a more naturalistic, somewhat anxious-looking tropical fish was a significant point of contention. The creative team aimed for photorealism, but for a character known for his expressive, almost human-like features, the change proved jarring for a generation of fans. The conversation, which began in earnest with the release of the first character posters in 2022, highlights the constant tension between nostalgia and modernization in Disney's live-action adaptations.

Jacob Tremblay: The Voice Behind the Controversial Flounder

The role of Flounder, Ariel's nervous yet loyal companion, was entrusted to a young actor with a remarkable resume. Jacob Tremblay, a Canadian actor, was tasked with voicing the CGI character, a challenge that required him to capture the spirit of the animated icon while adapting to the new, photorealistic aesthetic.

• The Enduring Legacy Of Haylor 5 Shocking Facts About Harry Styles And Taylor Swifts Relationship 10 Years Later Sf662

Jacob Tremblay: Brief Biography and Filmography

• Full Name: Jacob Tremblay
• Date of Birth: October 5, 2006
• Place of Birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Occupation: Actor
• Key Roles/Breakthrough: Gained widespread critical acclaim for his performance as Jack Newsome in the 2015 film *Room*, for which he received a Critics' Choice Movie Award.
• Notable Filmography (Selected): *Room* (2015), *Before I Wake* (2016), *Wonder* (2017), *Good Boys* (2019), *Luca* (Voice, 2021), and *The Little Mermaid* (Voice of Flounder, 2023).
• Role in *The Little Mermaid* (2023): Voice of Flounder, Ariel's best friend.

Tremblay, who was 16 years old when the film was released, brought a frantic, high-energy, and slightly worry-prone vocal performance to Flounder. His voice work was generally praised, successfully conveying the character’s familiar personality traits. However, he also found himself in the unique position of having to defend the character's visual appearance from the moment the first images were made public. He stated that he believed the design "works out perfectly" for the live-action world the filmmakers created, suggesting the creative team were "geniuses" who knew exactly what they were doing.

The Flounder Redesign: Why Disney Chose 'Realism' Over Whimsy

The core of the "flounder little mermaid 2022" controversy lies in a fundamental shift in design philosophy. The original 1989 animated Flounder was a bright, cartoonish, and anthropomorphic fish—round, with large, expressive eyes and a perpetually cheerful grin. The live-action version, however, was created with an emphasis on photorealism, mirroring the approach taken with other Disney live-action animals like those in *The Lion King*.

The Key Changes and Fan Backlash

The CGI Flounder is a tropical fish that looks "more like a real fish" than the animated version. The design features a muted color palette, smaller, less expressive eyes, and a flatter, more slender body shape. This shift was intended to ground the underwater world of the film in a realistic, almost documentary-like environment.

• The Facts Of Life Cast Where Are Eastlands Girls Now 2024 Updates 2tx8p

• Muted Colors: The vibrant yellow and blue of the cartoon were replaced with naturalistic, subdued tones, making him look less like a friendly sidekick and more like real marine life.
• Loss of Expression: The realistic CGI limited the exaggerated facial expressions that made the animated Flounder so endearing and comedic.
• The "Dead-Eyed" Critique: Many fans online criticized the character for having a "dead-eyed" or "lifeless" appearance, arguing that the photorealism stripped the character of his personality and charm.
• Online Roasting: The backlash was immediate and widespread upon the release of the character posters in April 2023 (following earlier teases in 2022), with Twitter and Reddit users "roasting" the design and questioning the creative choices.

The choice highlights a recurring challenge for Disney's live-action remakes: how to translate the inherent fantasy and whimsy of 2D animation into a 3D, photorealistic world without losing the magic. For Flounder, the pursuit of realism resulted in a character that many felt was visually unsettling and a betrayal of the source material's spirit.

From Cartoon Pal to CGI Fish: The Impact on Ariel's Story

Despite the visual controversy, Flounder's role as Ariel's loyal and worrywart companion remained central to the narrative. His function in the plot—helping Ariel collect human artifacts, serving as her emotional sounding board, and accompanying her on key adventures—was unchanged.

Flounder's Role in the Live-Action Narrative

The character, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, is portrayed as being constantly anxious, a "worrywart" who frequently gets dragged into Ariel's risky escapades. This nervous energy is a defining trait that connects the live-action version to his animated predecessor. The dynamic between Flounder, Sebastian (voiced by Daveed Diggs), and Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina) is crucial for providing both exposition and comic relief.

• 5 Shocking Facts About Anna Congdon Penn State Sweetheart To Nfl Fiances Social Media Firestorm Cc90e

• Thematic Consistency: Flounder represents Ariel's connection to her underwater life and her first, most reliable confidante.
• The Actor's Perspective: Tremblay emphasized that the new design was necessary to maintain visual consistency with the other realistic CGI animals, stating that a cartoonish Flounder would have looked out of place next to the realistic Sebastian and Scuttle.
• The Director's Vision: Director Rob Marshall and the creative team were committed to creating a visually cohesive underwater environment. They believed that a realistic fish, even one that talks, would better serve the tone of the live-action film, which aimed for a more epic and grounded feel than the original musical fantasy.

Ultimately, the "flounder little mermaid 2022" discussion serves as a powerful case study in the challenges of adapting beloved animated classics. While the film was a commercial success, the character's hyper-realistic look will forever be linked to the debate over whether photorealism enhances or diminishes the magic of Disney's most cherished animated entities. The design choice was a bold, albeit divisive, step toward a new visual reality for the studio's classic characters, prioritizing a cohesive, realistic aesthetic over the comforting familiarity of animated whimsy.