Disney's Live Action "The Little Mermaid" Controversy

After the Disney Princess live-action movies of “Cinderella” and “Mulan”, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will finally be getting a live-action movie. The 1989 “Little Mermaid” will be remade with Halle Bailey starring as the lead, Ariel. Bailey initially landed the role after she was discovered by Rob Marshall, the director of the new version, during her 2019 Grammy performance. Marshall saw potential in Bailey’s voice and proceeded to ask her to audition for the role of Ariel thus landing her the role. Disney released the first trailer on September 9, 2022. As the video reaches ten million views, feedback on the trailer portrays both positive and negative remarks regarding Halle Bailey’s role of portraying Ariel.

Within a span of five days, the official Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” trailer had reached 1.5 million dislikes. People commenting have expressed negative feedback under the official Disney trailer and social media platforms. Lots of comments centered around how “scientific evidence” contradicts Bailey's role (because of her race being mermaids shouldn’t be melanated) while also expressing how the original race of the mermaid should be kept. 

However, people on social media platforms (like TikTok) have expressed their positive reactions concerning the trailer and Bailey’s role. There have been multiple compilations released of children’s (specifically Black children’s) reactions to Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” live-action. The compilations consist of Black and Brown children being excited to see a Disney Princess that looks like them. After looking at the positive feedback, Bailey responded with overwhelming happiness, “People have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and I’m truly in awe, this means the world to me.” Bailey reveals in an interview how taking this role would allow children, who haven’t seen much representation, to see a princess that looks like them. 

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” live-action was announced to be released in May 2023. News concerning the movie’s production includes four new songs to be added to the original soundtrack. More changes in the production of the “Little Mermaid” will be announced in the future. As more comments appear on these changes, Halle Bailey has made a statement to only focus on the positive feedback she receives from the film.

By Kayla Beasley