Halle Bailey has earned praise for the “perfect” Ariel-inspired dress she wore to the premiere of The Little Mermaid.
On 8 May, Bailey, who plays Ariel in the upcoming live-action Disney remake, arrived on the red carpet in Los Angeles in a metallic blue Valdrin Sahiti gown with a shell-shaped structured neckline that resembled the mermaid’s iconic seashell top.
Bailey paired the shimmering blue gown with teal eyeshadow, glittery blue nails and diamond earrings, with the result an outfit worthy of the film’s titular character.
On social media, the “Do It” singer’s look has been met with joy from fans, with many declaring the gown a perfect interpretation of Ariel.
“Halle Bailey looked absolutely amazing at the premiere of #TheLittleMermaid. The dress was perfect for this event because it looked so mermaid-like,” one person tweeted, while another said: “I am so obsessed with Halle Bailey’s dress for The Little Mermaid premiere!! She looks so beautiful omg.”
Someone else described the outfit choice as an “aquatic serve,” while another person admitted that the gown left them “speechless”.
“Still not over Halle Bailey’s dress,” one person tweeted.
Others were appreciative of the fact that the dress did not prevent Bailey from interacting with young fans, with a video showing the star bending down to greet and embrace Offset and Cardi B’s daughter Kulture, five, during the premiere. The Migos rapper, who dressed in a Prince Eric-inspired outfit for the occasion, attended the premiere alongside Kulture and his daughter Kalea, eight, who were both dressed in miniature ball gowns.
“It’s that fact that she can get down that low in this dress that looks like it is PAINTED on [her] body is amazing to me lol I love it,” one fan tweeted along with a video of the sweet moment between Bailey and Kulture.
Although the official release of the live-action version of the 1989 Disney film is still weeks away, the remake has already earned praise from critics.
Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the animated version of the film, shared her delight with Bailey’s interpretation of the role at the premiere, with Benson telling Entertainment Tonightthat the actress doesn’t need any advice from her because she’s “brilliant”.
“[Halle Bailey] doesn’t need any advice from me, she’s brilliant!” she said with a grin. After praising Bailey’s “purity of heart, vulnerability and bravery” in the role, Benson added: “I’m so thrilled for her, and I’m so proud of her.”
Bailey’s sister Chloe also applauded her sister, telling ET that “there could not be a more perfect Ariel”.
“To know that all of those beautiful girls will be able to see proper representation, whether you’re black or white or anything like that, you’ll be able to look at my sister and say ‘I can be anything I want to be no matter what the world tells me is acceptable,’” she said. “There could not be a more perfect Ariel.”
The Little Mermaid will be released on 26 May 2023.
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