LITTLE MERMAID Casts Halle Bailey as Ariel
Disney’s latest entry in the live action reboots of animated films, The Little Mermaid, has cast Halle Bailey in the lead role of Ariel.
Bailey and her sister Chloe make up the R&B duo known as Chloe x Halle, an act they formed in 2015. The pair were discovered by Beyoncé after they posted covers of the star’s music on YouTube. The duo has since signed a record deal with Parkwood Entertainment and opened for Beyoncé on the Lemonade tour.
This will be Bailey’s feature film debut, although her music was featured in A Wrinkle in Time. She’s appeared on numerous television shows including Austin & Ally, House of Payne, and will be a regular on the upcoming Grown-Ish series.
The new live action adaptation will be directed by Rob Marshall from a script by David Magee revising a previous draft by Jane Goldman. Marshall reportedly spent a few months meeting with talent, but according to Variety, insiders say Bailey was always the front-runner. Marshall said in a statement, “After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role.”
The new film will incorporate original songs from the 1989 animated musical as well as new songs by original composer Alan Menken and Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda is also producing the film along with Marshall, John DeLuca, and Mark Platt.
Both films are based on the original story by Hans Christian Anderson, and the rights to the tale have been in Disney’s hands since 1941. Originally planned as part of an anthology adapting the fantasy author’s work, the project was shelved in 1943 after a strike by animators and an increased focus on wartime propaganda shorts.
