Halle Bailey said that she was not at all surprised about the racist remarks when the announcement was made that she would playing the part of Ariel in the Little Mermaid. From way back in 2019, the vitriol just went on right up until the trailer which was released last year.
“As a Black person, you just expect it and it’s not really a shock anymore. I know people are like, “It’s not about race.’But now that I’m her… People don’t understand that when you’re Black there’s this whole other community. It’s so important for us to see ourselves.”
Bailey and Beyonce
Bailey says Beyonce has been a big help to her offering advice to her and her sister Chloe Bailey.
“When [Chloe and I] first signed to Parkwood. B was always like, “I never read my comments. Don’t ever read the comments.’ Honestly when the teaser came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn’t see any of the negativity.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Bailey had spoken about how lucky she felt that someone like her got the opportunity to play such a recognizable role.
“The fact that I get to represent all of these little young black and brown boys and girls who are to come is really special to me because I know that if I had that when I was younger, it would have changed my whole perspective on life.”
The film was initially delayed due to Covid-19.
“We’ve always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation. No matter what anybody has to say about you, you just keep pushing. I feel like I’m dreaming, and I’m just grateful. I don’t pay attention to the negativity. I just feel like this role is something bigger than me. It’s going to be beautiful,” she said.
Jodi Benson who played the voice of Ariel in the 1989 production had nothing but praise for Bailey saying she was “so proud of [her] beautiful performance.”
The movie is directed by Rob Marshall and will feature new songs as well as tracks from the original film. The recent trailer offers a look at Melissa McCarthy’s villainous Ursula.
The Little Mermaid will be released on May 26, 2023 with the animated version streaming on Disney+.