When Belgian entertainers Jonas Van Geel and Jelle Cleymans reached out to us about swimming with sharks in mermaid tails for a new TV show, we weren’t sure whether to laugh—or start planning. But their mission was clear: face their fears and inspire respect for sharks through the power of transformation.

In their show Zero to Heroes, Jonas and Jelle—best friends since they were twelve—set out to become real-life superheroes. Each episode, they choose a childhood hero (like Tarzan, Batman, or The Little Mermaid), research who embodies that archetype today, and try to become just like them. That’s where Chelsea and I came in—as their mermaid instructor and shark safety diver for an episode inspired by The Little Mermaid.