In this year’s live-action rendition of The Little Mermaid, Halle Bailey’s Ariel has made it clear that she won’t simply “leave the ocean for a boy.”
Since it was originally revealed that the 22-year-old singer and actress would play the enduring role of Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, she has dominated the headlines.
At the time of the announcement, there was a great deal of support as well as opposition, particularly from individuals who couldn’t accept that Ariel, a fictitious mermaid who appeared in a 1989 animated rendition as white, would now be Black.
After the controversy, Bailey confronted her detractors and said she wasn’t shocked by the criticism of her casting during a QEA on her Youtube.
Bailey stated, “As a Black person, you just expect that, and it’s not really a shock anymore. I want the young girl in the little girls and me just like me, who are watching to realize that they’re important and should be a princess in every aspect. No justification exists for why they shouldn’t be. That comfort was something that I needed.”
“You don’t understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all the little Black and brown girls who are going to see themselves in you,” they stated in their words of encouragement, which Bailey later described as “inspiring and beautiful.”
Despite the criticism, Bailey persisted and even admitted that the future fantasy film would differ slightly from the novel.
The teenage actress told Edition: “We’ve obviously shifted the perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy. I’m incredibly thrilled with my interpretation of the film. Much larger than that, in fact.
Fans of the first film will undoubtedly recall that the 16-year-old mermaid finally gives up her voice in order to be able to travel on land and make an attempt to court Prince Eric, whom she had previously only met once.
According to Bailey, the focus is on the individual, her goals, her life’s work, and her independence. “As women, we are incredible, strong, independent, and cutting-edge. We are everything and more. And I appreciate Disney’s efforts to modernize some of those concepts.
The criticism Bailey faced early on in the process was also mentioned by Bailey, who added: “Seeing the world’s reaction to it was definitely a shock, but seeing all the babies’ reactions, all the brown and Black young girls, really tore me up emotionally.”
It’s been a really wild voyage, and I’m startled, grateful, and honored to be in this position, she said. I frequently have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.
We are really excited to see this film! I have a feeling it will disprove a lot of the critics.
