The little Mermaid returns to the big screen in just under two months, and the actress Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel, promises to see a radically different princess who breaks with the “traditional” Disney model. In an interview with Edition, the now 22-year-old actress opened up about the struggles she’s been facing since her casting went public, the racism she’s endured, and how she wants to modernize Ariel and portray her as a strong woman who “will not leave the sea for any man.”
“I’m so excited about my version of the film because we’ve definitely changed that perspective of her just wanting to leave the ocean for a guy, as women we’re amazing, we’re independent, we’re modern , we are all.”o”
Bailey also described how the new Ariel has much bigger goals, namely her desire to break free and do something with her life.
“It’s so much more than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants.”
In addition to Bailey, we’ll also see Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. The live-action movie Little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26.
Do you think a more modern Ariel is a success? Are you going to see this version of The Little Mermaid?