Although there had been some hate flung toward Halle Bailey and The Little Mermaid teaser as racists are mad that a mermaid is Black, plenty of people have embraced the change from the classic animated film. As Black girls around the world have positively reacted to being represented, the star has tweeted a response to all of those girls who feel seen.
The video, uploaded by Tracklist with over 8 million views, is a compilation of Black girls reacting to Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Parents filmed their children staring at the screen with wide eyes as they saw an Ariel who looked like them. The wholesome video also shows some kids overjoyed and even exclaiming, “She’s Black!”
“People have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and I’m in truly in awe,” the star said. “This means the world to me.”
Halle Bailey reacts to reactions of The Little Mermaid teaser
people have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and i’m in truly in awe ♥️this means the world to me 💗😭 https://t.co/cuKjKN8nxH
— Halle (@HalleBailey) September 12, 2022
The world got its first look at Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid during D23, which saw plenty of announcements, updates, and trailers for Disney properties from animation to Star Wars to Marvel.
The original film has lasted as a long-time classic since its debut in 1989. Disney has found mixed success with its live-action remakes of its classic animated films, like The Lion King being controversial but making $1.6 billion at the box office. It puts this remake in a conflicting space as it will be judged by audiences, critics, and by its box office performance.
Halley Bailey, known for Grown-ish, leads The Little Mermaid. The remake is directed by Rob Marshall (Mary Poppins Returns). Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and David Magee (Mary Poppins Returns) wrote the film. It will also star Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women), Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Jude Akuwudike (Gangs of London), and Noma Dumezwni (The Undoing). It will release on May 26, 2023.