When Halle Bailey, one half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, was cast as the lead in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid, she turned to her mentor, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, for advice.
Halle Bailey Shares Beyoncé’s Advice Amid Racist Backlash Ariel in The Little Mermaid
Despite polarizing responses to her casting, with some praising Disney for its colorblind auditions and others expressing racist opinions, Bailey received “beautiful advice” from Beyoncé, who has been a significant inspiration to her since childhood.
Halle said, “She’s such a beautiful person, inside and out, and I would say she definitely has just told me to stand in my power, to stand in my power and know my worth and to just move forward in that. It’s beautiful when you get to hear words of encouragement from someone like her, who’s done what I’m doing now, 20 times over! She’s been through it all. She’s seen it all. So, it means the world when she gives directions because it’s like, ‘Okay, I want to follow!”
About Ariel
Bailey’s Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton, longs to explore the world above the sea and forms a connection with a human, Prince Eric. In her quest to be with him, Ariel deals with the sea witch Ursula, which puts the entire Merfolk kingdom in danger. Although Ariel is not the youngest in her family, she understands the dynamics of being part of a large family, having grown up alongside her older sister in the spotlight.
Hailey Bailey on playing Ariel
For Bailey, taking on the role of Ariel was a transformative experience that allowed her to step out on her own for the first time. Throughout the process, she received support and guidance from her sister but ultimately had to rely on her abilities and self-belief to succeed.
Despite the challenges and pressure that came with the role, Bailey remained optimistic and grateful, recognizing the significance of her accomplishment and the impact it could have on future generations.
Over 1.5 Million Dislikes on The Little Mermaid Trailer
Though YouTube has disabled the feature to see dislikes on videos, you can still see dislikes after installing Chrome extensions. The trailer has garnered approximately 13 million views, with 80% of the reactions being dislikes, around 1.7 million dislikes, and only 291,000 likes.
