‘Grown-ish’ Actress Halle Bailey Cast As Ariel In Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’

With the casting heating up in recent days surrounding the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” we knew it was only a matter of time before Disney announced the big role of Ariel. And now, the studio has unveiled who will be the title character in the highly-anticipated film and it appears that the Mouse House is making some very big changes to the look of the character.

Disney announced today that actress Halle Bailey will play the role of Ariel in the live-action “The Little Mermaid” which is likely going to arrive in theaters in 2021. And yes, that means that the role is occupied by a young Black actress, marking a clear difference from the white appearance the character has had in every adaptation since the classic 1989 animated film. We’re sure that no one is going to have a problem with this, whatsoever. *Cue the hateful social media posts*

READ MORE: Jacob Tremblay & Awkwafina In Talks To Join Melissa McCarthy In ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live-Action Remake

“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,” says the film’s director Rob Marshall.

After some minor TV roles over the years, Bailey’s biggest opportunity before this film was as one of the stars of the Freeform series “Grown-ish.” While that show is a spin-off of the popular ABC series, “Black-ish,” there’s no denying that “The Little Mermaid” is a massive jump in the career of the young, teenage actress.

“The Little Mermaid” tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid, that falls in love with a human man and makes a deal with the evil Ursula to become human, which comes with some severe consequences. Bailey joins Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle in the cast of the film.

Marshall is set to direct the film, which goes into production in early 2020. Composer Alan Menken, who was responsible for the music of the original animated film, returns to write new songs for the film, with Lin-Manuel Miranda on board to supply the lyrics.