The Little Mermaid’s Halle Bailey reveals what Ariel “taught” her
Written by on June 12, 2023
The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey has revealed the lessons she learned from playing Ariel.
The actress and singer played the princess in the live-action remake of the classic 1989 animation, with her performance garnering wide acclaim.
In an interview with Who What Wear, Bailey discussed her breakthrough role, revealing that the part and lockdown from COVID-19 taught her valuable lessons.
Related: Little Mermaid director explains original star’s cameo
“I’ve been comfortable really just being with somebody all the time,” she began. “Somebody has always held my hand. I’ve never had to do anything alone. So this was really my first venture into solo adulthood.
“I had moved to London, and I was in intense rehearsals and stunts and mermaid training, and all of a sudden, I’m going through this not only physical transformation but [also] mental and spiritual transformation of me finding who I am on my own and building that confidence within myself to be able to do these things.
“So I truly feel like Ariel taught me that I’m worthy, and I’m stronger than I thought,” Bailey continued. “We were filming in the middle of the pandemic and in London, and my family couldn’t come visit me, so I was very isolated. Everything was closed down. I would literally go from work to home, and I would sleep on the weekends because I’d be so tired, and then I’d go right back to work.
“But looking back, I am happy that it was that way. [It] helped me mirror the emotions Ariel was feeling in the film to where she felt trapped and isolated and ready to see a brand-new world where her heart belonged. I felt like there were parallels to both of our lives in the time that I was filming, and I was grateful for that,” she concluded.
Related: Little Mermaid make-up artist responds to Ursula criticism from Drag Race stars
The actress, who will also star in the remake of The Color Purple, recently spoke about the changes made to the ending of The Little Mermaid, saying the tweaks were “impactful.”
“That ending is really a great version, and it shows her strength and power throughout the film,” she told Deadline. “For her to go out of her way to burst through to the world that she doesn’t know… it’s so cool to see.”
The Little Mermaid is in cinemas now. The animated movie is streaming on Disney+.
Watch The Little Mermaid (1989) on Disney+
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Reporter, Digital Spy
George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with adegree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media.
His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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