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The new trailer for the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” triggers happy reactions. These are going viral on Tiktok.
Disney is remaking Ariel. The 1989 classic, starring the young mermaid who falls in love with a human prince, is set to hit theaters in May 2023. The live-action trailer is already triggering emotions, especially among the youngest. The reason: Halle Bailey, the actress who slips into the role of Arielle, is black.
Videos are going viral on the social media platform Tiktok, showing happy reactions from mainly black children to the trailer. They react with words like “She’s black” and “She looks like me”.
Legend:
Halle Bailey as Ariel
«The Little Mermaid» / Rob Marshall
Videos are also circulating showing the reactions of white children. They don’t notice that Arielle has a different skin color than her. A mother’s message: «The color of Ariel’s skin is not important to my daughter. But I know it means everything to others.”
When it became known in 2019 that the role of Arielle would be occupied by a black actress, this triggered both positive and negative reactions on the internet. The director of the remake Rob Marshall told the US magazine “Variety” about the criticism: The role needed someone who “brings heart, youth and innocence and also has a great singing voice”. The fact that Bailey is black wouldn’t matter.
The remake of “The Little Mermaid” stars 22-year-old Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Melissa McCarthy as the witch Ursula. Javier Bardem plays King Triton.