LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: When Halle Bailey was chosen to play Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid,' she gave some thought to what it would mean to young Black girls. The new live-action remake of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' stars Bailey, and if the enthusiastic responses to the first trailer are any indication, the movie—which opens in theaters on Friday, May 26—will mean a lot to young Black women and girls all across the world.
During an interview with Glamour, the 23-year-old actress talked about how Black people were portrayed in the movie. Bailey talked about how she maintained her identity while making the adaptation and the emotional videos of little children witnessing a Black woman as a Disney princess.
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'Black princesses are possible'
When 'The Little Mermaid' trailer debuted in September last year, TikTok was flooded with clips of young Black girls reacting to witnessing their favorite Disney princess being performed by another Black woman. People reflected on how the children's response demonstrated the importance of representation in the film industry. These popular videos were not lost on Bailey, who recently admitted that watching the adorable reactions made her sob "uncontrollably." Bailey even contacted several of the young girls and brought them to the 'Little Mermaid' US premiere with her, as per Metro.
Bailey told Glamour in its May digital cover story that when she initially saw the videos, she instantly started sobbing: "When I saw those [reactions] for the first time, I cried. I just cried. I was uncontrollably sobbing because it really pulled on something in my heart. The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is really humbling and beautiful thing.
Bailey admitted having been moved by the 2009 Disney animated film 'The Princess and the Frog,' which stars actor and singer Anika Noni Rose as the title character, Tiana. "I know how much of that movie changed my whole perspective on life," she added. "Wow, this is possible. Black princesses are possible. We deserve to take up these spaces too."
Bailey also places a high value on the representation of Black princesses. She claims that while they were young, she and her sister Chloe loved female musicians like Beyonce and Destiny's 'Child' despite the fact that they hardly ever saw young people with similar looks on television or in movies.
Halle Bailey received racist backlash
Disney has been working actively over the past few years to remake several beloved animated classics in live-action, including 'Aladdin', 'Cinderella', 'Mulan', 'The Lion King', and many others. Rob Marshall's 'The Little Mermaid,' which has been in the works since the project was put into development in 2016, is one of their intended releases.
In 2019, after Halle was cast, she experienced some racial response, which she described as "shocking." When the criticism began, she told the Sunday Mirror that she was shocked because it wasn't something she expected, "at least not on that scale." Bailey said at the time, "Then I started to think, “I’m from the deep south, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve experienced racism."
Bailey continued, "My nana used to see her family cotton picking and my grandpa remembers “whites only” water fountains. ‘When I think of the horrendous experiences they had, it makes a hashtag and some online hate seem totally inconsequential." She added, "I think she’s taught me how to stand in my power how to be confident, how to know that I am worthy."
Critics unimpressed by Halle's 'The Little Mermaid'
The eagerly awaited live-action version of 'The Little Mermaid' garnered mixed reviews from critics before it was released in theaters. Some condemned the "unfortunate" remake and the "realistic" representation of animals, while others praised Halle Bailey as Ariel.
The movie is criticized negatively by Bloomberg, which calls it a "waterlogged conundrum." The new rap song "The Scuttlebutt," performed by Daveed Diggs' character Sebastian and Awkwafina's Scuttle, is deemed as particularly cringe-worthy in the review. "Scuttle is voiced by Awkwafina, who's never not funny—except here," the article continues. "In the screening I attended, many grown adults covered their faces to avoid looking at the screen. Both songs feel like first drafts."
Bailey, on the other hand, does a great job as Ariel. Her performance adds a special touch to a picture that is ultimately competent. According to Moira MacDonald of the Seattle Times, "Bailey gives a glowing performance of effortless star shine; her singing voice has both sweetness and power, and her smile is the sort on which dreams dance."
