JoAnna Garcia on ‘Quirky’ Ariel, Romance and Befriending Snow White

[Slurpeez]

‘Once Upon a Time’: JoAnna Garcia on ‘Quirky’ Ariel, Romance and Befriending Snow White

In a chat with THR, the actress discusses taking on the Little Mermaid, going up against a familiar enemy and how Ariel plays into the quest to save Henry.

JoAnna Garcia enters the Once Upon a Time universe as iconic Disney princess Ariel, aka the Little Mermaid.

“The idea of doing this has been in my life for a while, so I was happy when they figured out a way for Ariel to come into the story that I was able to do this,” Garcia, who debuts in the Nov. 3 episode of ABC’s fairy tale drama, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “To be able to play a beloved Disney princess has been a dream come true.”

Though there was a brief glimpse in the season opener of a group of angry mermaids terrorizing the occupants on the Jolly Roger, Ariel won’t be in the same boat. She “definitely marches to the beat of her own drum,” Garcia says.

In a chat with THR, the actress previews Ariel’s arc, going up against a familiar enemy and the Little Mermaid’s romance with Prince Eric.

Executive producers Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are known for putting their own twists on iconic characters. Did they inform you of Ariel’s arc and how they planned to differentiate her from what we’re familiar with?
They did. Mermaids are not nice creatures in the story of Once Upon a Time, so I was a little nervous of the fact that Ariel would be some renegade, but they informed me very quickly that she would be a very sweet version. She would play similarly in that regard to the original Ariel, which I was excited about and quite relieved because I don’t think I have thick enough skin to make Ariel evil. But in perfect Eddy and Adam form, they created a character that is very true and pulls on your heartstrings, in the same way the animated version does. How she’s woven into their whole quilt has the Once Upon a Time flair to it.

We got a glimpse of how vicious the mermaids can get in the premiere. How distinct is Ariel from her counterparts?
Ariel definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. Her life is filled with curiosity and optimism and she’s completely a hopeless romantic. I think that that lends itself to an organic way of her not being a part of that evil crew. I think she would be quite offended if someone fancied herself to be anything but sweet and kind. Her whole life mission is she’s in love with this man and wants to find him and wants to be with him and she can’t stop being with him. It sounds scary but it’s actually romantic and sweet.

What can you say about her connection to Prince Eric (Gil McKinney)?
Thematically it’s very similar [to the animated feature]. It’s love at first sight. She saves him, falls in love with this shipwrecked prince and it’s her life’s mission to find her way back to him. The fact that she’s a mermaid and he’s a man is not necessarily [ideal] — even if they were to happen upon each other, it wouldn’t necessarily work. It’s a great love mixed with a great tragedy, but having said that, that’s what her friendship with Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) shows her, that not only can she be who she truly is, there’s a chance. She just has to stay true to herself and Snow White gives her the confidence to do that. But in true Once Upon a Time form, there’s always a twist.

How does Ariel come to meet Snow White?
Snow White is on the run at this time and Ariel is in the right place in the right time and ends up saving her life. There’s an instant appreciation and almost instantly, there’s a friendship that’s sort of sparked. To repay Ariel for helping save her life, she wants to help her find her true love. Because snow White wants that so much in her life and can’t have it. They have this old friendship that withstands the test of time and ultimately will help save Henry (Jared S. Gilmore).

How does Regina (Lana Parrilla) play into Ariel’s story? (In a promo, we see Ariel refer to her as Ursula.)
Regina is Ursula. That is something they’re letting me tell you. They’ve released it. That is one thing I am allowed to say. She is Ursula. There are no limits to Regina’s tentacles … evil tentacles.

What else should we keep in mind about Ariel?
The love affair of Eric and Ariel, being that it’s the most important thing to her, exploring that has been fun and something I was glad to do. But there are also other quirky elements to Ariel that I really love, the fact that she finds a lot of weight and finds these simple, mundane items on land to be incredible treasures and I love that part of her. She’s quirky.

Does Ariel resurface in present day? If she does, how?
Mermaids can swim between realms so in an attempt to fight Pan (Robbie Kay) and gather the things they need, Ariel can find herself to be very useful.

Should we expect Ariel to have some surprising interactions with characters other than Snow White?
Like I said, mermaids can swim between realms so there’s no limit to the people Ariel can come into contact with. She doesn’t need a magic bean. (Laughs.)

Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

[RumplesGirl]

Thematically it’s very similar [to the animated feature]. It’s love at first sight. She saves him, falls in love with this shipwrecked prince and it’s her life’s mission to find her way back to him. The fact that she’s a mermaid and he’s a man is not necessarily [ideal]

In other words, they are making this a live version of the Disney film with only a slight variation with Ursula

Because snow White wants that so much in her life and can’t have it. They have this old friendship that withstands the test of time and ultimately will help save Henry (Jared S. Gilmore).

Does that sounds like Snow has already met Charming to anyone else? Going back through the timeline, there was a month in between when Snow and Charming met (103, Snow Falls) and when Snow and Red discussed Charming’s upcoming wedding to Abigail (106? The Shepherd). So, Snow could have met Ariel in that intervening month.

Mermaids can swim between realms so in an attempt to fight Pan (Robbie Kay) and gather the things they need, Ariel can find herself to be very useful.

Is she going to be bringing things from Gold’s shop? Does he have pixie dust stored somewhere?

 

 

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Slurpeez]

In other words, they are making this a live version of the Disney film with only a slight variation with Ursula

I agree. I think Ariel and Eric are canon. Sorry, Hookriel fans, and I mean that sincerely.

Does that sounds like Snow has already met Charming to anyone else? Going back through the timeline, there was a month in between when Snow and Charming met (103, Snow Falls) and when Snow and Red discussed Charming’s upcoming wedding to Abigail (106? The Shepherd). So, Snow could have met Ariel in that intervening month.

Yes, I agree. I think Snow had fallen in love with Charming. Where I differ on the timeline is that this came possibly after she made Charming believe she didn’t love him after King George’s threat (in “7:15” I think it was).

Is she going to be bringing things from Gold’s shop? Does he have pixie dust stored somewhere?

If anyone (other than Blue) has pixie dust, it’s Mr. Gold.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

I agree. I think Ariel and Eric are canon. Sorry, Hookriel fans, and I mean that sincerely.

Here lies the good ship Hookriel. 🙁 One huge part of my headcanon that got totally blown to bits. Ah well. I got a back up boat that actually looks really pretty….so….*jumps in life raft*

Yes, I agree. I think Snow had fallen in love with Charming. Where I differ on the timeline is that this came possibly after she made Charming believe she didn’t love him after King George’s threat (in “7:15″ I think it was).

But didn’t Snow drink the potion that night, after getting out of prison and breaking Charming’s heart? And then she went Angsty Snow.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Slurpeez]

But didn’t Snow drink the potion that night, after getting out of prison and breaking Charming’s heart? And then she went Angsty Snow.

You may be right. I can’t remember exactly in which episode she drank the potion to forget Charming. Was it in “7:15”? I know she got her memories back in 1×16 “Heart of Darkness.”

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

RumplesGirl wrote: But didn’t Snow drink the potion that night, after getting out of prison and breaking Charming’s heart? And then she went Angsty Snow.

You may be right. I can’t remember exactly in which episode she drank the potion to forget Charming. Was it in “7:15″? I know she got her memories back in 1×16 “Heart of Darkness.”

Right so outline of events:

Snow and Charming meet (103) and then separate at the end of the episode.

1 month later Red comes to Snow and tells her that Charming and Abigail will be getting married the next day

Snow White: Wasn’t expecting you for a month.

Red: It’s been a month.

Snow White: Has it?

Red: You’re really taking well to the solitude, aren’t ya?

Snow White: It’s fine. It’s exactly what I wanted – to be out here…away.

Red: And that you are. Here you go.

(She hands Snow White the basket of food.)

Snow White: Thank you. So, how are things back in the world?

Red: Come on – ask what you really want.

Snow White: I don’t know what you mean.

(Red Riding Hood gives Snow White a look.)

Snow White: Okay, fine. Tell me.

Red: The wedding’s happening. Prince James is marrying Midas’ daughter. In two days time. You okay?

Snow White: I just thought the longer I was out here, the easier it would be to forget him, but… Instead, all I do is think about him.

(7:15 am)

In that same episode, she gets the potion from Rumple to make her forget Charming. But instead she goes to see Charming at George’s castle where George threatens to kill Charming so Snow breaks Charming’s heart. She then leaves with the dwarves and goes to their home. Charming decides to run away from George and the episode ends with the discovery that Snow drank the potion that night.

THEN Heart of Darkness.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[HappyEndings]

You know I am not thrilled with the mermaids being able to go to different realms if that was the case why didn’t Rumble hire several of them to find Bae?

[Slurpeez]

Thanks for that overview RG. You’re probably right that Snow met Ariel after she met Charming but before the events of “7:15.”

You know I am not thrilled with the mermaids being able to go to different realms if that was the case why didn’t Rumble hire several of them to find Bae?

That’s a good point. I think the answer is while mermaids can travel between realms they can’t necessarily transport people to other realms.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

That’s a good point. I think the answer is while mermaids can travel between realms they can’t necessarily transport people to other realms.

I think so too. Ariel herself can move between worlds, but she can only carry object in her little bag. She cannot carry people.

Which makes me think that she’s going to take some pixie dust from Gold’s shop to NL and that’s how they all get home.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[HappyEndings]

I think it is instructions to reveal the town so the team can return to SB, that Ariel has.

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