Halle Bailey to Play Ariel in Disney's Live-Action Little Mermaid
- Disney has finally cast the lead role in its live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, and fans are elated that Ariel will be played by Halle Bailey.
- The singer is one half of the R&B duo, Chloe x Halle, with her sister, Chloe Bailey. Both appear in Freeform's Grown-ish and are signed to Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment label.
- Director Rob Marshall said in a statement, "it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence and substance— plus a glorious singing voice."
The Kids Are Alright
The Kids Are Alright
Disney's live-action version of The Little Mermaid has finally found its Ariel.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed the casting with a statement from the movie's director, Rob Marshall. He explained, "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."
Confirming the news on Twitter, the official Chloe x Halle account wrote, "dream come true..." and shared an artist's impression of Bailey in the movie's titular role:
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid
The Grown-ish star is already a popular choice with fans who have taken to Twitter to express their excitement, especially as a woman of color has been cast in the movie's leading role.
Beyoncé is already a big fan of the new Ariel. Having discovered Chloe x Halle on YouTube when they covered her hit song, "Pretty Hurts," Beyoncé signed the duo to her Parkwood Entertainment label, invited them to open her Formation World Tour in Europe, and included them on her Lemonade visual album.
Melissa McCarthy, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina are also in talks for Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid. We're already excited.
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Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
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