African-American R & B singer Halle Bailey, 19, will play Princess Ariel in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid , Disney announced.
Halle Bailey, who forms the duo Chloe x Halle with her sister, reacted on Twitter saying that her “dream came true” . She accompanied her tweet with a drawing of Princess Ariel – pale-skinned redhead in the cartoon – with dark skin and black hair.
The choice of the film’s crew fell on Beyoncé’s little protégé after long research, said director Rob Marshall, who praised his “rare blend of character, heart, youth and innocence, not to mention a ravishing voice. “
The news ignited Twitter Wednesday afternoon, where fans were divided on the skin color that should, according to them, Princess Ariel.
this means the world. happy to share names with you 😭😭 love you lots https://t.co/Wzkj8Mgsze
— chloe x halle (@chloexhalle) July 3, 2019
Last year, Disney was heavily criticized for “whitening” Princess Tiana in Ralph Breaks the Internet and had to redo several scenes in disarray just a few months before the release of the cartoon.
Halle Bailey, however, is not the first black woman to embody a Disney Princess in the flesh. In 1997 already, the studios had chosen the singer Brandy to play the role of Cinderella.
Disney has begun adapting many successful cartoons into real-life movies, such as Dumbo , Aladdin, and The Lion King , which will be released soon on screens.
The filming of The Little Mermaid is scheduled to begin next year.