The next Disney live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" will feature Halle Bailey in her breakout performance as Princess Ariel.
The singer-actress has been in the public eye alongside her older sister, Chloe Bailey, since they began their musical careers in the early 2010s, but Halle has also created a name for herself on television through appearances in shows such as "Grown-ish."
Although Halle is enjoying her newfound role as a Disney princess, she has suffered racial abuse since the network announced in 2019 that she would play Ariel.
Nonetheless, the Grammy Award nominee is not affected by the criticism. As the "Cool People" singer was cast in 2019, thousands Halle fans hailed her for securing such a prestigious role.
Others, however, turned to social media to make racist comments over her casting, with many highlighting the fact that the original animation character is white.
In a February 2023 interview with The Face, Halle broke her silence on the matter nearly four years later. Unfortunately, she said as Black person, she simply anticipates it, and it's no longer shocking,. She added that when she and her sister initially signed with Parkwood, she never read comments about her.
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When the teaser was released, she was at the D23 Expo and she was very excited. She did not observe any negative." Halle noted that she has encountered detractors who have stated, "It's not about race," but she explained how it is different for her as a Black woman. Nevertheless, now that I'm her... People do not realize that there is an entirely different community for Black people," the Georgia native stated. It is crucial for us to see ourselves.
Despite the intense criticism she has endured, Halle recalls the moment she discovered online social media videos of Black children's delighted reactions to seeing her as Ariel for the first time. The "Kids Are All Right" singer stated she cried every night for two days, just staring at them in astonishment.
It makes her more appreciative of where she is. Once filming concluded in July 2021, Halle took to Instagram to describe the significance of the film to her. She acknowledged the "liberty and tenacity" she acquired with time. She revealed that this experience has made me so much stronger than she ever imagined she could ever be.
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