Halle Bailey Says Her Casting As Ariel In The Little Mermaid "Wasn't Really A Shock"

In a new interview with The Face published on Thursday, the singer and actor said that the backlash that arose when news broke of her being cast as mermaid Ariel – and again when the first glimpse of her in the role was revealed last fall – was not surprising. In July 2019, Halle Bailey was cast to play Ariel in the live-action remake, The Little Mermaid. Although the original Ariel voice actor supported Bailey's casting, the public reaction to a Black actor playing Ariel led to some racist remarks.

Source: People.com

#1. "It’s Not Really A Shock".

To that point, Bailey also mentioned that after the teaser dropped, when parents started sharing videos of their Black daughters marveling at Bailey as Ariel, she stared at them “in disbelief.” ​
”It makes me feel more grateful for where I am,” she said.

Source: Vogue

“As a Black person, you just expect it and it’s not really shock anymore,” the Grammy nominee said.
“People don’t understand that when you’re Black there’s this whole other community,” she shared. “It’s so important for us to see ourselves.”

#2. Halle Bailey Proud Of Black Woman's Hair.

The rising star also credited the "Little Mermaid” filmmakers with allowing her authentic identity to be a part of this new iteration of the aquatic Disney princess, specifically about her hair.

Source: Joblo

​”As a Black woman, hair is spiritual, especially locs,” Bailey said, also mentioning that a significant portion of prep time on set was devoted to analyzing how her hair moved in the water.
“It was cool for them to make Ariel a version of me with my locs,” she added.

#3. Everything We Know About The Live-Action The Little Mermaid.

The live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid is set to hit theaters on May 26 and will tell the complete tale of Bailey's Ariel. Along with Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King from Little Women will portray Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy from Bridesmaids will play Ursula, Javier Bardem from Skyfall will play King Triton, and Daveed Diggs from Hamilton will play Sebastian. Flounder will be voiced by Jacob Tremblay (Harley Quinn). According to new updates on The Little Mermaid film, its star-studded cast will bring the same emotional atmosphere that the original The Little Mermaid did.

Source: Screen Rant

The tale of The Little Mermaid will be altered to give Ariel more agency. Though Disney has not specified what those changes will be, some confirmed changes include bringing a more progressive Ariel, who will discover freedom on the surface and make a difference in the larger world rather than searching for love. Given Ariel's youth, it's possible that there were public concerns about how Ariel and Eric's relationship would be depicted. If Ariel is to be a role model for young girls, she must be updated with a modern depiction that represents current feminism. The live-action version will also feature new music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, who previously worked with Disney to create music for Moana. While Beyoncé likely won't appear in Bailey's The Little Mermaid, her influence on Bailey makes her presence felt all the same.
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