In the wake of the first trailer for the live-action adaptation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, many parents with young Black girls have taken to social media to share videos of their daughters’ responses to seeing Halle Bailey in the role of Ariel.
The Teaser has More than 12 Million Views at this Point
Since the trailer’s teaser release on Friday, several identical films have been posted across social media with the hashtags #representationmatters and #Blackgirlmagic. Over twelve million people have already seen the trailer.
First seen at the D23 Expo, the live-action remake of the classic Disney cartoon from 1989 has been generating excitement ever since. Halle Bailey, a singer, and actress from the R&B group Chloe x Halle, makes her appearance as Ariel in the movie.
An All-Star Voice Cast Joins Bailey
Ariel, a young mermaid, is fascinated with a human prince in the 1989 animated picture. She strikes a pact with the sea witch Ursula to assume human form so that she might win his heart. In addition to Halle, the film also stars Melissa McCarthy as the voice of Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Javier Bardem as Triton, Awkwafina as Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.
All the Hate does not Demotivate Bailey:
Bailey, 22 years old, addressed the criticism directed towards her selection in the starring role in a chat with Variety. Some individuals on social media have been using the hashtag #NotMyAriel to express their disagreement with the casting of a Black actress in the role of Ariel from the classic fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in Denmark in the year 1837. However, Bailey mentioned that her grandparents provided her with some perspective on the situation and their inspirational words motivated her more.
On May 26, 2023, the film adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” is scheduled to be released in cinemas. Many are already waiting eagerly to enjoy the cinema with their friends and family.