Tulane University professor Peter Kunze, an expert on Disney’s history and societal impact, is available to speak to media on all things House of Mouse, from the feud with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the cultural weight Disney’s casting decisions carry as it revamps old films for new audiences.

With Disney’s latest live action feature “The Little Mermaid” set to hit theaters May 26, Kunze said any lingering complaints about the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel fail to consider that the film has always included African-Caribbean influences.