There is no doubt that Halle Bailey’s live-action Ariel of Disney’s The Little Mermaid is set for success, that even the original voice actress in the 1989 animated film had given nothing but praise for the new Ariel. Despite the racist backlash she received at the first big reveal for her to play Ariel, the 22-year-old did not let the negativity get to her head. Instead, she promoted The Little Mermaid’s teaser poster by posting about it on her Twitter. Halle Bailey reacts to overwhelming reactions to The Little Mermaid trailer, expressing how honored she is that she wants to pinch herself in hopes this isn’t a dream.
While she is set to lead The Little Mermaid, she never forgets to express her gratitude to the team and for having the opportunity to make Ariel her own. In a recent exclusive interview with ET Online, she was asked how she felt about the reactions to the little mermaid, and Bailey was quick to address how overwhelming and emotional it had turned out to be.
“It’s been really crazy, really overwhelming. I’ve been so emotional when I see all the babies, so I’m just really honored and just pinching myself.”
In fact, a viral video of a little Black girl was one of the most emotional rollercoasters for the soon-to-be Ariel. The video featured the reaction of when the girl first saw Bailey in the teaser trailer singing. In response, the little girl smiled, saying, “She’s like me!” Bailey admits it always gets her every time, “Yeah, it made me cry.” Much similar to how a viral photo of another Black kid stood beside their TV to show his similarities to Encanto’s youngest family member, Antonio. Check the video below:
“I’m so excited for the release. I feel like I have been waiting for so long. We’ve been talking about it for a long time but now that the rollout’s starting itself, I’m like, really grateful that everyone’s gonna get to see it. So, yeah, I hope everyone likes it. We’ll see.”
The Little Mermaid is set to premiere on May 26, 2023.
Also Read: The Little Mermaid: Original Ariel Actor Praises Halle Bailey’s Part of Your World Performance
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