Halle Bailey is Grateful to ‘Reinvent’ Ariel in The Little Mermaid Remake



A live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is on the way from Disney which will introduce a new incarnation of Ariel. Played by Halle Bailey, the Chloe x Halle singer admits she was shocked when she first learned she was wanted to read for the role of Ariel, as she expected Disney to go with a more traditional depiction of the character. Opening up about her casting on the Talks with Mama Tina show on Facebook, Bailey detailed why she felt so surprised about the offer.

“Getting that role felt very surreal,” Bailey said. “It was much of a shocker for me. Even when I was asked to audition, I looked at it and I was like, ‘Me? For Ariel?’ … My image of Ariel that I’ve had is the red hair, the pale skin, and the tail, and she was amazing to me. I loved her, like we all did. But that’s what I’ve seen her as for so long.”

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Bailey felt the pressure while preparing to audition for this role, recalling that she was even “sobbing” at one point while going through her lines with her father. The Black-ish star added, “Going into the filming process, I had to learn and say to myself that you can do it and it’s okay, and that my sister is here, and she was. It was just a beautiful experience for me to kind of spread my wings in that way.”

“But [I’m] so grateful that I kind of get to reinvent Ariel and show other young, beautiful Black and brown children that hey, you can be this too,” she went on to state. “You are magical and mythical and all of the wonderful things in between as well.”

Related: Disney’s The Little Mermaid Remake to Include Four New Alan Menken Songs

Instagram

Those who worked with Bailey on the feature were left very impressed with the new Ariel’s singing abilities. This includes Javier Bardem, who plays this movie’s incarnation of King Triton. Feeling he could never compete with Bailey, Bardem told ET, “[When you’re] close to Halle, it’s impossible to sing… She was warming up her voice near me, and I was like ‘What was that?’ She goes, ‘Oh, I was just warming up… It would take me five years to do that!”

Daveed Diggs, who provides the voice of Sebastian the crab, said of the project: “I had a great time doing it. I recently got to do an ADR session, which is the first time I got to see anything of anything in it, which was pretty wild. It’s weird, and wild, and beautiful. I’m very excited, and Halle [Bailey] is a force. I’m just happy to be playing the crab that gets to sit next to her.”

The Little Mermaid is scheduled to be released in movie theaters in May 2023. Along with Bailey, Bardem, and Diggs, the movie stars Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jude Akuwudike as Grimsby, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle. Rob Marshall directs using a screenplay by Jane Goldman and David Magee.

Tobey Maguire Fans Campaign for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4

Could we finally see Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 happen with a renewed interest from fans in the unmade sequel?

Read Next

About The Author

Jeremy Dick
(4729 Articles Published)

Jeremy Dick has been a writer and editor since 2014. He is a self-professed horror expert, pop culture enthusiast, and Bob Saget fanatic.

More
From Jeremy Dick

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
Kneecap to headline alongside CMAT, English Teacher and more
Kneecap to headline alongside CMAT, English Teacher and more
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards