Disney has officially found its Ariel for the hotly anticipated live-action remake of the ‘Little Mermaid.’ Her name? Halle Bailey from Grammy nominated sister group Chloe X Halle.
Fully story below…
The announcement was made moments ago by director Rob Marshall – and it turns out Bailey herself only found out too too.
Marshall, who helmed Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ said in a statement:
“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role.”
19-year-old Bailey, who along with her sister Chloe, is a protégé of Beyonce (and signed to her Parkwood imprint) said in a tweet:
https://twitter.com/chloexhalle/status/1146509551497170944
The news comes at a busy time for the duo, who have been juggling both singing and acting endeavours – including a main cast spot on Freeform’s ‘Black-Ish’ spin-off ‘Grown-Ish.’
Production on ‘Little Mermaid’ begins in 2020.
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Huge congratulations!
![Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ashanti-gladys-knight-thatgrapejuice-motown-christmas-nbc-smokey-halle-bailey-jordin-sparks-jojo-464x260.jpg "Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch].")
![Tyla Turns Up the Heat with 'Push 2 Start' & 'Shake Ah' Live at the Billboard Music Awards 2024' [Performance]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tyla-bbma-tgj-1-464x260.jpg "Tyla Turns Up the Heat with 'Push 2 Start' & 'Shake Ah' Live at the Billboard Music Awards 2024' [Performance].")
Omg thats so perfect. She def has the voice
She is going to do very well in this role. I am happy for her
Amen
I wish Disney would stop these live action remakes. Are they that desperate to milk these classics for the b***s**t remakes??????sickening.
Well you’re probably the only one on earth who feels that way. I think these remakes are amazing. #GirlBye
NO… I feel the EXACT same way!!
I am sick to death of all of these ridiculous remakes. They are overrated and lacking in creativity or originality. I’m so tired of it.
I agree with Brent. The new generation lacks creativity. Why can’t we get something NEW?????? Why is everything a damn remake????????? Little Mermaid came out in 1989. U mean to tell me they couldn’t of at least thought of a spin-off like Ariel’s Baby or something totally brand new? Same goes for Aladdin. How many damn Jasmines are gonna play the same role? Time for a new script. I’m about to get my laptop out and start writing one.
This is so amazing. And I hope they let her wear her locks in the film. Can you imagine how this is going to make little black girls feel?
I’m curious to know Disney’s reasoning for the casting however. I know it has to be more than inclusion.
Her locks would be dope! The one thing I want to stay the same is her having red hair. That’s one of the most Iconic things about Ariel.
Maybe bc she can act and sing? That never been a thought???? Y’all are killing me ???????
Giiiiirl why you don’t pick Lucy Liu? SMH
Her parents know they were trying it naming her Halle w/ a last name Bailey. Anyway, congrats!
Awww that’s nice. She’s a really cute girl.
This is perfeeectttt. ☺️ Beautiful girl, beautiful voice. This is exciting. I always like when classic movies switch it up. Like Brandy in cinderella. A black princess who had black and white twin stepsisters and an Asian prince with a black mother and a white father. Lmao. ? Because if you want a movie to be exactly like the original, go watch the original.
I wonder how her sister who looks identical to her feels about this. Probably jealous as hell
Beyonce and her trash parkwood entertainment held her music career back. If they were signed to a proper label they would be big by now.
Why would she be jealous when she played in the fighting Temptations as the younger Beyoncé when she was little. She’s proud of her little sister for getting booked. ?
Her sister does not look identical to her. Her sister is older and doesn’t have that innocent youthful look that fit the character so she would never be casted. And there could only be 1 so I highly doubt she cares.
I love her. But idk how I feel about this. This is my all time favorite Disney movie!
No one cares how you feel about it wh0r£!!
Obviously you did. F*** off my d***. You’re tired and problematic.
Wtf are they serious. God what a mess changing the characters and not leaving them the way they are supposed to be. I’ll stick with the cartoons.
Racist trash
Not racist as I have nothing but black family members so thank you very much as some agree with me.
Exactly my thoughts. To be honest, I dont care of she is Black or white, but we all know how all hell would break loose if they had casted a black character with a white actor.
Ariel being white is not integral to the story as Mulan being Chinese or Merida being Scottish or Jasmine being middle eastern is. Shut up
Amen
XYZ you are 100% right
THIS IS GONNA BE SO GOOOOOD!!! https://youtu.be/oMp58oVociw
? ?
White people are acting like it’s the end of the world. They don’t get to complain when 90% of the movies we have the option of seeing in the theater feature a white person in the lead. And I don’t want to hear about Ariel’s white origin. White people are always changing history and then they want to get upset when change benefits a different race.
White ppl? That’s a bit of a blanket statement. Racist much
The ones upset are white, are they not? And the people who create our history books and tell us that slaves were actually “indentured servants” and that Jesus was a blue-eyed fair-skinned man are also white, are they not?
Are you all dumb King Triton is Greek and the writer of the little mermaid is Hans Christian Andersen who was a Danish author both are white races DUH.
I guess this is Disney way of apologizing for that mess they did with Princess and the Frog.
Halle got her work cut out for unfortunately, she’s a black a girl replacing a white girl so she gotta bring it times ten. But I don’t think it will be a big issue. Brandy’s Cinderella was well received by audiences and that was in the 90’s so hopefully people hearts have softened a bit even though its trump’s America right now ?
Now, who’s going to play Ursula and Prince Eric? And what’s the setting going to be since Ariel is now a brown girl, Caribbean?
Thought zendea was cast
Haha white people being slowly replaced by black actors in Hollywood?? makes sense though they will be a minority in about 50 years or so might as well get used to seeing blacks in the big time movies. And im here for it!!
I don’t mind what origin, background the actress is.
But, let’s keep it real… if tomorrow they cast a white person to play the role of a character known to be black or hispanic or arabic… I don’t think people would be singing the same tune.
That being said, I know nothing about this girl’s voice, I heard her and her sister live like twice.
I wish her the best.
Exactly thats the point.
People wouldn’t be singing the same time bc it’s NOT THE SAME TUNE. Black people and people
Of color getting more roles is necessary at this point bc of how neglected and underrepresented we’ve been for decades and centuries in society. So it’s incomparable.
Well the character isn’t attached to any ethnicity in the first place.
Look at movies like Coco, we know the little boy is Mexican, the culture is part of the movie.
We know Aladdin is middle eastern.
We know that in Brave it’s a white Scottish girl.
Mulan in China, Pocahontas being American Indian and the list goes on and on.
Many movies, especially the recent ones, are all attached to a cultural background or a country (Polynesia, Scandinavia, Mexico etc).
But many others aren’t set anywhere in particular. The first Disney Princesses… Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, The Little Mermaid, Belle… there’s no cultural dimension, it’s not set in a specific region/country. So it’s easier to play around with the characters.
These characters are iconic, people are used seeing them white in the animated movies. It doesn’t matter what are Ariel’s origins since it doesn’t affect the original story.
Everything is also becoming very political in a way…
Studios are being considered « brave » if they cast an actor from a « minority » (I hate that word) instead of a white person. And it’s good for their image.
Actually, it is made very clear that Belle is from France… And The Little Mermaid takes place in Denmark. Just thought I’d point it out. Not sure about the others.
Ariel doesn’t have to be danish though. I mean, she’s a sea creature, so she doesn’t “have” an ethnicity. I just kinda hope her hair is red for the movie. And again, it has nothing to do with ethnicity, as no one has hair *that* red anyway. Either way I’ll be first in line to see it when it comes out. Halle’s great. And so is Rob Marshall and everyone involved so far.
Oh ok. I didn’t know. I’ve seen those a long time ago.
I just meant that some of their movies placed the cultural background as a central piece of the storyline.
While those older movies were more about good vs evil, love, princesses and kings etc.
Where in the Disney film is Denmark specifically projected as the origin? And furthermore, Ariel is from ATLANTICA, a made up underwater place. Where is ethnicity specified there?? Secondly, she’s got crabs and fish singing Caribbean music but she’s supposed to be from Denmark?? GTFOH.
I don’t know if I’m here for it actually I’m not! I wanted to see Zendaya take on this role and so did many others! When I look at Halle I’m bored… there’s nothing about her that gives me Ariel vibes. And I definitely don’t want to see Ursula played by Melissa McCarthy! Titus Burgess would be the perfect casting…. they need to get with the program! Disney casting an African American in the role is a risk and a smart one! But who they choose still matters. Just because she’s African American doesn’t mean the movie will be good. It could be a total confusing mess! The Little Mermaid is one of the most iconic Disney Princess movies of all time! Risk is good but Halle!? Ehh! Honestly I believe Beyoncé had something to do with this. They used her for the Lion King and she was probably advocating for Halle since she’s signed to Parkwood. Not a bad thing but still not here for it.
I agree with you… I guess I don’t know much about her but I’m not feeling it.
Hopefully she will prove us wrong and kill the part.
Melissa Mc C as Ursula… can she sing ?
I would have loved seeing Jennifer Hudson playing a vilain. And we all know she can sing.
Queen Latifah isn’t as qualified as a singer but I like her as well.
PEOPLE SAYING ARIEL IS DANISH OR NORDIC OR WHATEVER, THEN WHY THE HELL IS A JAMAICAN LOBSTER SINGING TWO MAJOR SONGS IN IT? MAKES ALOT MORSE SENSE THAT ARIEL IS BLACK AND HAS LOCS. MORE OF A CARIBBEAN VIBE. PLUS IN THE MOVIE HER DAD WAS HELLA TAN. LOL
Wack casting y’all wouldn’t like good times to have white cast this gon flop hard
Again Whitney Houston was a waaay better mother, what the f*** about Blu. B****….I see why this b**** don’t have the wind like Whitney Houston
Makes no sense, King Trident and Queen Athena are white, Ariel and her 5 white sisters were their daughters. You can’t just change Ariels skin color just be diverse. Are they going to give her red hair.