“The Little Mermaid” actress Halle Bailey just hinted at some changes Disney is making for the live-action remake, which hits theaters this spring.
The 22-year-old actress discussed her commitment to playing Princess Ariel and how she felt about the changes during an interview with the Edition by Modern Luxury magazine.
“I pushed myself as far as I’ve ever pushed myself in life,” Bailey said of filming in the water for up to 13 hours per day. “And I feel like the message from [Ariel] was to know that you’ve always had it in you.”
The original animated version of “The Little Mermaid” was released in 1989 and has since become one of the most beloved films in the studio’s catalog. It was based upon the classic Hans Christian Anderson fairytale by the same name, though some details were changed in the Disney version. Now the live-action version will include even more updates.
“I’m really excited for my version of the film because we’ve definitely changed that perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy,” Bailey said. “It’s way bigger than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life, and what she wants.”
“As women we are amazing, we are independent, we are modern, we are everything and above,” she continued. “And I’m glad that Disney is updating some of those themes.”
The first trailer was released in September 2022 to mixed reviews, while a longer version debuted during the 95th Academy Awards earlier this month. Critics noted how the underwater scenes were dark and hard to see. Some viewers also questioned the studio casting Bailey, which immediately led to accusations of racism because the actress is black.
“As a black person, you just expect it and it’s not really a shock anymore,” Bailey told The Face of her experience with backlash during a February interview. ”When [Chlöe and I] first signed to Parkwood, [Beyoncé] was always like: ’I never read my comments. Don’t ever read the comments.’ Honestly, when the teaser came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn’t see any of the negativity.”
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“I know people are like: ’It’s not about race.’ But now that I’m her … People don’t understand that when you’re black there’s this whole other community,” she continued. “It’s so important for us to see ourselves.”
“The Little Mermaid” director Rob Marshall previously told Entertainment Weekly that he had “no agenda” in selecting a person to play Ariel, and Bailey’s race had no bearing on the decision as they auditioned “every ethnicity.”
“We just were looking for the best actor for the role, period. The end,” Marshall said in December. “We saw everybody and every ethnicity. [The goal was to find someone who can be] incredibly strong, passionate, beautiful, smart, clever [and with] a great deal of fire and joy.”
“The Little Mermaid” premieres in theaters on May 26.
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