Halle Bailey as Ariel inThe Little Mermaid(2023).Photo: DisneyThe long-awaited live-action remake ofThe Little Mermaidwill soon be here, andHalle Baileycan’t wait to share it with everyone. The star recently talked about the experience of making the movie, and why the role is so important to her ina cover story for Ebony.For Bailey, playing Ariel meant staying authentic to herself — and her hair.“There was a time when we’d barely see locs—and now we have a Disney princess with them, which has never happened before,” she told Ebony. “It was super important for me to have my natural hair in this film. I was really grateful to [director] Rob Marshall, because he wanted to keep my locs. It’s always important to have somebody to cosign.“Disney"I’ve had my locs since I was 5, so they’re a huge part of who I am,” she said. “We need to be able to see ourselves, we need to be able to see our hair on big screens like this, so that we know that it’s beautiful and more than acceptable.“When asked if Black Ariel was something she would have liked to see as a child, she answered in the affirmative.“But what I love about today [is that it’s normalized],” she said. “Somebody told me the other day, ‘[This generation of kids are] not even going to know the first version [ofThe Little Mermaid]. Their version of Ariel is you.'“Bailey also talked about being a fan of Brandy’s beloved 1997Cinderella,and how it guided her in her portrayal of Ariel.“I remember [Brandy’sCinderella] was one of the first [films] I saw with a Black princess,” she said. “It was so monumental. It changes your whole perspective as a young Black woman, how you feel about yourself, what you think you can do, and the possibilities the world has to offer. She’s the blueprint for all of the Black princesses to come.“The Little Mermaidwon’t be Bailey’s only film out this year. She is also starring in a remake ofThe Color Purple, which comes out this December.“I am so excited to be playing young Nettie inThe Color Purple,” she told Ebony. “This film has meant a lot to me for a very long time—it’s a Black family staple. I also got a chance to write an original song for the film. It’s been really cool to incorporate my artistry into this new world of acting. I’m just so grateful to be a part of the film, and to be on set with legends and people I’m such fans of, like Fantasia and Taraji P. Henson. I cannot wait for people to see it. I think they’ll love it.”
Halle Bailey as Ariel inThe Little Mermaid(2023).Photo: Disney
The long-awaited live-action remake ofThe Little Mermaidwill soon be here, andHalle Baileycan’t wait to share it with everyone. The star recently talked about the experience of making the movie, and why the role is so important to her ina cover story for Ebony.For Bailey, playing Ariel meant staying authentic to herself — and her hair.“There was a time when we’d barely see locs—and now we have a Disney princess with them, which has never happened before,” she told Ebony. “It was super important for me to have my natural hair in this film. I was really grateful to [director] Rob Marshall, because he wanted to keep my locs. It’s always important to have somebody to cosign.“Disney"I’ve had my locs since I was 5, so they’re a huge part of who I am,” she said. “We need to be able to see ourselves, we need to be able to see our hair on big screens like this, so that we know that it’s beautiful and more than acceptable.“When asked if Black Ariel was something she would have liked to see as a child, she answered in the affirmative.“But what I love about today [is that it’s normalized],” she said. “Somebody told me the other day, ‘[This generation of kids are] not even going to know the first version [ofThe Little Mermaid]. Their version of Ariel is you.'“Bailey also talked about being a fan of Brandy’s beloved 1997Cinderella,and how it guided her in her portrayal of Ariel.“I remember [Brandy’sCinderella] was one of the first [films] I saw with a Black princess,” she said. “It was so monumental. It changes your whole perspective as a young Black woman, how you feel about yourself, what you think you can do, and the possibilities the world has to offer. She’s the blueprint for all of the Black princesses to come.“The Little Mermaidwon’t be Bailey’s only film out this year. She is also starring in a remake ofThe Color Purple, which comes out this December.“I am so excited to be playing young Nettie inThe Color Purple,” she told Ebony. “This film has meant a lot to me for a very long time—it’s a Black family staple. I also got a chance to write an original song for the film. It’s been really cool to incorporate my artistry into this new world of acting. I’m just so grateful to be a part of the film, and to be on set with legends and people I’m such fans of, like Fantasia and Taraji P. Henson. I cannot wait for people to see it. I think they’ll love it.”
The long-awaited live-action remake ofThe Little Mermaidwill soon be here, andHalle Baileycan’t wait to share it with everyone. The star recently talked about the experience of making the movie, and why the role is so important to her ina cover story for Ebony.
For Bailey, playing Ariel meant staying authentic to herself — and her hair.
“There was a time when we’d barely see locs—and now we have a Disney princess with them, which has never happened before,” she told Ebony. “It was super important for me to have my natural hair in this film. I was really grateful to [director] Rob Marshall, because he wanted to keep my locs. It’s always important to have somebody to cosign.”
Disney
“I’ve had my locs since I was 5, so they’re a huge part of who I am,” she said. “We need to be able to see ourselves, we need to be able to see our hair on big screens like this, so that we know that it’s beautiful and more than acceptable.”
When asked if Black Ariel was something she would have liked to see as a child, she answered in the affirmative.
“But what I love about today [is that it’s normalized],” she said. “Somebody told me the other day, ‘[This generation of kids are] not even going to know the first version [ofThe Little Mermaid]. Their version of Ariel is you.'”
Bailey also talked about being a fan of Brandy’s beloved 1997Cinderella,and how it guided her in her portrayal of Ariel.
“I remember [Brandy’sCinderella] was one of the first [films] I saw with a Black princess,” she said. “It was so monumental. It changes your whole perspective as a young Black woman, how you feel about yourself, what you think you can do, and the possibilities the world has to offer. She’s the blueprint for all of the Black princesses to come.”
The Little Mermaidwon’t be Bailey’s only film out this year. She is also starring in a remake ofThe Color Purple, which comes out this December.
“I am so excited to be playing young Nettie inThe Color Purple,” she told Ebony. “This film has meant a lot to me for a very long time—it’s a Black family staple. I also got a chance to write an original song for the film. It’s been really cool to incorporate my artistry into this new world of acting. I’m just so grateful to be a part of the film, and to be on set with legends and people I’m such fans of, like Fantasia and Taraji P. Henson. I cannot wait for people to see it. I think they’ll love it.”
source: people.com
