Over the last few years, Disney has been digging back into their bag of classics and turning them into live-action films. They have done The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, and most recently, Mulan.
Next up on their can’t-miss re-envisioning is the live-action version of The Little Mermaid. Before the film could even hit theaters, there was a bit of controversy when the company announced their choice for the role of Ariel.
Rob Marshall, the director of the film, announced in mid-2019 that he had chosen Halle Bailey for the role. Putting the controversy aside, we thought it would be nice to get to know the young woman a bit more.
Who Is Halle Bailey?
Halle Bailey is an actress and singer who was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She and her sister formed the R&B duo known to most as Chloe x Halle.
When the two began releasing their music, the family moved to LA, and she also began acting there.
Getting Signed
The duo was eventually picked up by Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and they signed to the Parkwood Entertainment label.
She and her sister also opened for Queen B on her Lemonade Your, but where did Beyoncé find the duo? You might be surprised to learn that Beyoncé found them on YouTube.
YouTube Beginnings
At a young age, the duo started releasing covers through their YouTube channel.
In fact, a cover of one of Beyoncé’s big hits is what caught the Queen's attention and is what brought the young girls into a very tight relationship with the iconic pop star.
Appearing with Beyoncé
Halle and her sister, Chloe, appeared in a video with Beyoncé, and as we mentioned, they even have done some openings for the legendary star when she was out on tour.
Now, the two will have more in common than just their love for music, as they both will have ties to Disney.
Why Was She Chosen?
Her talent is evident - just ask Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who gave her first big break in the music industry.
For months, director Rob Marshall had been meeting potential cast members, but no matter who he saw, many people have reported that Halle always remained at the top of his list. When he announced she had won the role, he said there were many reasons.
What the Director Loved
The director loved her youthful spirit and innocence - qualities that the role of Ariel needs in order to be properly portrayed.
Plus, her incredible voice didn’t hurt, either. He felt she could hold her own with the rest of the cast, as well.
Then There Was Acting
Of course, she also had some experience in front of the camera, which was a plus, too. He knew she would be able to take direction without needing to be taught the process.
Having a few roles under her belt in both television and film was an added bonus for the director. It also gave him something to watch to see how she was able to bring a character to life.
What Was He Watching?
What films and TV shows has Halle appeared on? Besides the music videos for some of the songs from Chloe x Halle, she had a guest appearance on Austin and Ally, among a few other projects.
Other Roles
Halle had already starred alongside Queen Latifah in Last Holiday. At the age of six, she had a small role playing Tina in the romantic comedy.
From there, she kept working periodically outside of music, including a guest stint on the Disney Channel show Austin and Ally.
Recent Shows
More recently, she has been shining in her role as one of a set of twins (her sister is also on the show) on the Freeform spin-off of ABC’s Blackish, called Grownish.
The character is an athlete and goes to school with Zoey, the oldest child from Blackish. The show actually just got renewed for another season.
Could this Lead to More Film Work?
Clearly, the young lady is very talented. However, the role of Ariel may be the thing that gets her even more attention and potentially more roles.
With Halle’s talent, having a tie with Disney will definitely give her access to more opportunities, especially since she has a stunning voice.
Future with Disney?
Disney is planning to make more live-action films, and if the movie does well, it is not unthinkable that the young lady will have more opportunities to work with this powerhouse studio in the future.
Her future is looking very bright!
About the Movie and Casting
The movie will be a live-action remake of the iconic '80s animated film, The Little Mermaid. The movie will have an updated score that will be updated by the original composer, Alan Menken.
There will also be a new song composed with the help of Lin Manuel Miranda. Halle will get to sing the iconic song, plus make the role her own with this new song.
Fought Tooth and Nail
Of course, we have already talked about the reasons that Rob Marshall chose the young actress/singer for the part, but the process wasn’t easy, and she clearly won the role with a lot of fighting.
Who Else Is Set to Be in the Film?
Halle will be working with some big names in the business, but we are sure that the young actress will be able to hold her own.
Big Industry Names
She will get to work opposite Melissa McCarthy, who will be bringing evil sea witch Ursula to life.
Along with that comedic giant, the movie will also showcase the talents of Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay, who will voice the iconic roles of Scuttle and Flounder. Her love interest, Eric, will be played by Jonah Hauer-King, who is a British Actor.
Why the Backlash?
Many felt that if the company was going to remake the film, they should stay true to the source and fill the role with an actress that bears a resemblance to the character in the 1987 film.
Modern-Day Diversity
Of course, that would mean not casting a person of color in the role. However, with diversity being a focus of Hollywood over the last few years and into the foreseeable future, the role needed to be available for anyone to read for.
Halle is very talented, and as the director says, she radiates those youthful qualities that are needed for the role of Ariel.
Why Is it Important?
The choice, though controversial to some, is an important step towards diversification of the Hollywood film industry.
Casting a person of color in a role that did not originally feature a person of color is proof that Hollywood is looking at talent over appearance.
Personality over Looks
The young actress was chosen because she can sing and has the right vibe instead of because she fits the idea of what the original character looked like.
The casting of Halle is also important, as it will allow children of color to see themselves on the screen, which will help with their confidence and social identity.
Stars React
When news broke of the casting of Halle, many big stars came out in support, starting with her Grownish castmate, Yara Shahidi, who forwarded the announcement from Variety with a loving note about her friend becoming a princess.
Another Disney alum, Zendaya, chimed in, as well.
Shout Out
The Euphoria actress simply said she was in for this, but one of the biggest celebs to shout out the decision to cast Halle was someone that she shares something with - her first name.
Halle Berry posted on her Twitter that she felt this meant the world to everyone and that Halle got the job done. This has to have made the young woman very happy!
What Does the Original Ariel Think?
With all the controversy, the original Ariel, Jodi Benson, spoke out via social media, as well. She talked about how the importance of the spirit of the character is all that matters.
She went on to talk about how Ariel is more about the heart, and that is what counts.
Teasing Herself
She even threw a little shade at herself, talking about how old she was, so if you associate a look with the character, you would be sadly upset when you see her sing any of the iconic songs from the movie.
She wished the young actress good luck, and the support of the original had to have been a boost to Halle's confidence, too!
Final Thoughts
We won’t have to wait too much longer to see Halle Bailey in the role. The Little Mermaid live-action remake hasn’t been given an official release date, but there is a slot left open for an untitled live-action film in November of this year.
This could very well be when we get our chance to see this young lady belt out all the classic tunes we love. We are sure that, with all her talent, she will deliver a performance that will have people applauding in every theater across the world.
