As we all know by now, the whole internet has been divided ever since the first official trailer for one of Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation movies, The little Mermaid saw its release at the D23 Expo.
While many voiced their unrestrained criticism, others hailed Halle Bailey as the definitive Ariel of the current generation. While audiences are wary of the dreary atmosphere portrayed in The Is Justifiable premise, things reached a disturbing penultimate peak when Bailey became the target of harassment among many others.
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What became clear was that for some, the issue was not just the dark cinematic vibe, but something that transcended those deliberations; something tinged with a little (sometimes a lot) of prejudice.
However, such remarks are rarely enough to overturn the creative prowess of talented and enigmatic personalities. Halle Bailey happens to be one of those people, as she recently opened up about how she fit into the character of Ariel.
Halle Bailey brought parts of herself into The Little Mermaid
While speaking to EW in an interview, Halle Bailey detailed her experiences in combining her “essence” with Ariel, bringing a successful mix of the two. After the first look at her character in the highly anticipated effort was released at Expo D23, the young singer and actress discussed the intricacies of her role, especially when it comes to incorporating personal elements. .
Singing the extended song of praise to Rob Marshall, the actress expressed her heartfelt gratitude. “He’s so amazing” is what Bailey had to say about the famous director. According to her, the Chicago alum claimed to want to bring Bailey “in character”.
This resulted in a fusion of beautiful experiences for the 22-year-old talent where she was able to translate pieces of herself and represent them through The little Mermaid‘s Ariel – including her hair.
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Here’s what she had to say about it:
“With Rob, he’s so amazing and he just goes, ‘I see you and I want to get you in character. So that was a beautiful thing. My hair, for example – incorporating my locs into red hair was something really special thing for me. The outfit, the fins, everything. It’s just amazing. I’m just grateful that I was able to take the essence of me and blend the two.
Such statements allude to Bailey’s boundless enthusiasm and love for portraying and embodying the iconic Disney princess of the late ’80s. Blending influences – both personal and canonical – the singer strives to to be a great iteration of Ariel. Also, she seems to have a deep understanding of exactly why viewers have consistently resonated with the character.
According to Bailey, the one thing that appeals to audiences about Ariel is how she shamelessly pursues what she wants for herself. In his own words, “She goes after what she wants and what she sees for herself.” The actress believes the Disney Princess is a vicarious entity of a basic human foundation: the desire to “something awesome” for ourselves. Instead of running away from uncertainties on the way to achieving the wonderful things in life, Ariel simply “Go for it.”
The singer concluded by stating that she deeply respects the strength and willpower shown by the fan-favorite character. Additionally, she attested to trying to encapsulate the aforementioned quality in the film.
How The Little Mermaid (2023) Is Different
Also read: The Little Mermaid: People were so insulted by a black actor playing Ariel that they used AI to make Halle Bailey white
In the interview, Halle Bailey also highlighted what’s new to expect from the 2023 iteration. As noted, the film will delve into a “new story.” Rather than being a premise primarily focused on “falling in love and wanting a boy” or simply choosing to wind through the sea and reach the world above, it will also involve what Ariel “sees for herself and her future and her passion.”
On a final note, the actress explained how the whole filming process really helped her grow. After the manufacture of The little Mermaid, Halle Bailey got to know herself in a much better way. She became more “Of course” on her own, becoming mentally and physically strong.
As the world now extends its endless support for the actress and some major celebrities also voice their disapproval at the onslaught of criticism, it can be proven that Bailey has introduced a refreshing twist to the world of the fictional premise. It would be interesting to see the next previews offered by Disney.
The little Mermaid is set to release on May 26, 2023.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
