Aside from looking like a shell of his former self, Disney’s live-action Flounder has been through the wringer more times than we can count in recent months. One minute, the whole fandom hates his gills, then the next, the internet has been struck by the contagious Flounder Fever. Honestly, no one can quite make up their minds whether they love or hate The Little Mermaid‘s famous flatfish, but it’s been a journey of ups and downs, no doubt. Although Flounder might not have had the majestic glow-up we were expecting, his voice actor Jacob Tremblay certainly did.
In July 2019, both Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina were cast as Ariel’s best friend Flounder and a gender-bent version of Scuttle, respectively. Although filming for The Little Mermaid was due to commence in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed those dates back to July/August. Based on a social media post, Jacob Tremblay had started recording his lines in July 2020. At the time, Tremblay was 13.
You’d never recognize the Doctor Sleep star at the premiere of The Little Mermaid on May 8, 2023. Now 16 years old, Tremblay looks nothing like the young teen pictured in the recording studio. In fact, one Disney fan compiled photographs from both 2020 and 2023 that showcase Tremblay in the recording booth (left) and then at the world premiere of 2023’s The Little Mermaid remake (right).
If it makes you feel old to learn that he was born in October 2006, don’t worry, you’re not the only one.
Considering that Disney had tossed around the concept of a remake of the 1989 original back in 2018, it’s been a long time coming for us Disney kids to return to the sea. Just like Tremblay, we too are much older and wiser than when we experienced the animated classic for the first time, so there’ll be plenty of old souls lining the theaters when The Little Mermaid releases worldwide on May 26, 2023.