‘The Little Mermaid’: Halle Bailey’s Version Is ‘a Lot More Modern’
In the era of reboots, it was only a matter of time before Disney gave The Little Mermaid the live-action treatment. The classic fairytale follows in the footsteps of films like The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. At the forefront of the film is Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel, the titular mermaid herself. And while Disney has been pretty tight-lipped about the film, Bailey did drop a few hints about what fans can expect.
How Halle Bailey joined ‘The Little Mermaid’ cast
Bailey’s musical talents are nothing short of undeniable. The actor had already made her mark on the music industry as one half of the duo Chloe X Halle with her older sister, Chloe Bailey. In fact, it was one of her performances that first made The Little Mermaid director, Rob Marshall, take notice of her. After seeing her perform at the Grammys, he immediately asked her to come in and audition for the film. Halle’s response per her interview with The Face: “Which role?” When she learned that the role in question was the titular one, she was even more befuddled: “Huh? Me?”
Despite her initial confusion, Halle couldn’t turn down the opportunity. She became the very first person to audition for The Little Mermaid. And according to Marshall, nobody even came close to competing with her for the role of Ariel. Despite seeing tons of talent for months on end, it was clear that the “Do It” singer was the right choice for the role.
The live-action movie is much more modern than the 1989 film
But just what can fans expect from Halle’s version of The Little Mermaid? Naturally, the format of the film will provide a different experience in comparison to the animated classic. But visual elements aren’t the only components of the story that have gotten an update. According to Halle, fans will see a new iteration of Ariel who more closely resembles women today.
“What’s beautiful about this version of The Little Mermaid is that it’s a lot more modern,” Halle explained in the aforementioned interview. Continuing on, the singer explained how the two versions differ. “When we saw it when we were younger, she gave up everything for the guy,” Halle shared. “But I don’t think [that] reflects modern women today. So [now] it’s more about Ariel finding freedom for herself because of this world that she’s obsessed with.” As for Ariel’s human love interest, Pince Eric, he’s more of a bonus rather than a focal point. “[Prince Eric] is a cherry on top,” Halle explained. “But it’s not all about him.”
Halle reflects on her experience of filming ‘The Little Mermaid’ away from home
Plenty of people are waiting on bated breath to see Halle’s version of The Little Mermaid. And the wait is almost over, as the film is set to hit theaters on May 26. As for Halle, she’s taken time to reflect on her experience prior to the movie’s debut. Though she calls the film “the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” she’s certainly grateful for it. She also is able to see the parallels between Ariel’s life and her own.
“I felt like God was lining up themes in my life with the character,” Halle shared about filming The Little Mermaid 5,000 miles away from home. “Ariel has this longing for something more. She doesn’t quite know what it is yet, but she has to be brave in order to find it on her own. Being away from everybody for the first time in my life, I really loved those themes of knowing that it’s OK to be fearful and pushing through it.”
