Halle Bailey Breaks Silence On ‘The Little Mermaid’ Casting Backlash

Halle Bailey commented on the backlash that followed news of her being cast as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake.

In July, Disney announced Halle Bailey had been cast as princess Ariel in its live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. News of Halle Bailey’s casting thrilled many who celebrated the decision to cast an actress of color in the traditionally caucasian role of Ariel.

However, Halle Bailey’s casting as Ariel also prompted a racist backlash from a vocally disgruntled group of movigoers on social media. During an interview with Variety, Halle Bailey briefly addressed the backlash, noting that she does not pay attention to the negative reactions:

“I feel like I’m dreaming, and I’m just grateful, and I don’t pay attention to the negativity. I just feel like, you know, this role was something bigger than me and greater. And it’s gonna be beautiful. I’m just so excited to be a part of it.”

How do you feel about Halle Bailey playing Ariel in the remake of The Little Mermaid? Let us know in the comments section below!

Disney’s original The Little Mermaid centered on princess Ariel, who longed to explore the world beyond the sea. After saving Prince Eric from drowning, Ariel turns to the sea witch Ursula and trades in her voice in order to become a human for the chance to meet the man she rescued.

The Little Mermaid remake will be directed by Rob Marshall from a script written by David Magee. Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play the villainous sea witch Ursula while Harry Styles is reportedly in early negotiations to play Prince Eric. Furthermore, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, and Javier Bardem are being eyed for the roles of Flounder, Scuttle, and King Triton, respectively.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken will write new songs for the remake to be included alongside the classic tunes the latter penned for the animated version of The Little Mermaid. In addition to his duties as a songwriter, Lin-Manuel Miranda will serve as an executive producer alongside Rob Marshall, Marc Platt, and John DeLuca.

Disney is expecting to begin production on The Little Mermaid remake with Halle Bailey in early 2020. Stay tuned for the latest news on the upcoming movie!

Source: Variety