Daveed Diggs in final talks for The Little Mermaid role

Daveed Diggs is reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to join the line-up of Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

According to editors at Variety, the Hamilton actor is the studio's top choice for the role of Sebastian - the crab who is King Triton's advisor - and will perform the iconic song Under the Sea, which appeared in the 1989 animated original.

The role was previously voiced by Samuel E. Wright.

Producers are currently casting for the flick, which begins production next year, with singer/actress Halle Bailey confirmed to play mermaid princess Ariel in the film.

Elsewhere, Javier Bardem is rumoured to be in talks to portray Triton, and Melissa McCarthy has long been linked to the part of sea witch Ursula.

Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay are also attached to play Scuttle and Flounder, respectively, but director Rob Marshall is yet to settle on an actor to play Prince Eric.

Singer Harry Styles was previously in the running for the lead role, but ultimately decided to pass on the opportunity, with other young actors including Cameron Cuffe, Jonah Hauer-King, Christian Navarro, and Asher Angel among those to audition.

Diggs originated the parts of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in the original production of Hamilton, winning both a Grammy Award and a Tony Award for his performance.

He has also appeared in films such as Wonder and Blindspotting, and will next be seen onscreen as Andre Layton in TV series Snowpiercer.

A release date for Marshall's The Little Mermaid has not yet been announced.