He was 7-years-old when “The Little Mermaid” became a surprise animation hit and soundtrack juggernaut in 1989, and she was still a baby. Now they’re co-starring in the director Rob Marshall’s ambitious live-action reimagining, currently in theaters: Diggs, 41, as the sympathetic crab Sebastian, and Awkwafina, 34, as the birdbrained gull Scuttle. The pair discuss on-set rap battles, supporting the new Mermaid Halle Bailey and the art of stealing scenes by the seashore. How do you navigate the legacy of Samuel Wright and Buddy Hackett, the actors who originated the voice roles of Sebastian and Scuttle, without being weighed down by it? There was a way to do these characters that is just on the book, but Rob [Marshall] really facilitated a good environment to bring our own selves into it and improv.

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Persons: Tony, “ Hamilton, Daveed Diggs, Nora Lum, they’re, Rob Marshall’s, Diggs, Sebastian, Halle Bailey, Samuel Wright, Buddy Hackett, Rob, Marshall Organizations: Rich Asians, Disney