In the live-action version, Bailey takes on the role of the young mermaid Ariel who yearns for adventure. The singer and actress has been open about the racist backlash after the announcement that she was to portray the iconic Disney princess.

Why did Disney change The Little Mermaid?

Disney's The Little Mermaid changes were also required due to Andersen's story structure. The original story adds so many details to Ariel's deal with the sea witch that just don't help the story.

Did Ariel get recast?

Halle Bailey, who's just 22, was cast as Ariel back in 2019. She's half of musical duo Chloe x Halle, along with her sister, and she plays Skyler Forster in the sitcom Grown-ish. Halle Berry, of course, is an entirely different actress.

Who plays the new mermaid in The Little Mermaid?

"Grownish" star Halle Bailey stars as Ariel, the titular mermaid. In the original movie, 16-year-old Ariel was fascinated by humans and desperately wanted to experience their world.

Why was Scuttle gender swapped?

Scuttle is not only changed from male to female but is also now a diving bird instead of a seagull. "This was done specifically so that Ariel would only meet Scuttle underwater, because, at the start of our story, Ariel has never dared go above the surface," director Rob Marshall said in production notes.

The Little Mermaid 2023 Making of & Behind the Scenes

Why did they make Ariel black?

He says they were looking for the best actor for the role of any ethnicity who could not only sing but convey traits such as strength, passion, beauty, joy and intelligence, which they found in Bailey.

Was Scuttle originally a girl?

In The Little Mermaid remake, Scuttle plays a bigger role than in the original. Instead of Scuttle being a male seagull, Scuttle is a northern gannet which is a female seabird. This allowed Scuttle to be included in the underwater scenes which ends up being an important change from the original movie.

How much did Halle Bailey get paid for The Little Mermaid?

It's believed that Bailey made about $1.5 million for her role as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, but that number could increase depending on how well the film performs opening weekend and beyond.

Is Queen Latifah in The New Little Mermaid?

(MORE: 'Little Mermaid Live': Who will play Ariel, Ursula, Sebastian and more!) Queen Latifah stars alongside actress Auli'i Cravalho who will play Ariel and reggae singer Shaggy who will play Ariel's friend, Sebastian.

Who auditioned for Ariel 2023?

Disney's live-action “The Little Mermaid” had “no agenda” when it came to the casting of Ariel, director Rob Marshall told Entertainment Weekly. The “Chicago” and “Into the Woods” director said his team auditioned “every ethnicity” for the role before landing on singer Halle Bailey.

Why did The Little Mermaid get bad reviews?

Some of the complaints took issue with the CGI displayed in the live-action remake of the beloved 1989 animated movie for being confusing and aesthetically unappealing at times. Some viewers weren't impressed with the new songs and the tweaks to some old ones.

Did the Little Mermaid 2023 flop?

The reported box office result of The Little Mermaid 2023 remake is about $560 million. On paper, these numbers look good. The film grossed over $298 million domestically and more than $263 million internationally.

Are there two versions of The Little Mermaid?

The Little Mermaid—animated vs.

Disney's new 2023 live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid generally keeps the same storyline as its 1989 animated predecessor, but there are quite a few changes that take the classic story in new directions. Here are some things we get with this new version.

Why does Ariel look different?

10 Ariel's Appearance

The announcement that Halle Bailey would play Ariel was met with controversy from people who thought Ariel should remain white, and changing the race of Ariel to a Black woman was Disney's attempt at a political statement. Naysayers also thought Bailey wasn't suited for the role.

Did Disney change Ariel?

Even with the hype from Disney fans, there was some backlash regarding some of the movie's changes, such as casting a woman of color as Ariel, since she does not have pale skin and bright red hair like the animated mermaid.

Is Queen Latifah playing Ursula?

' She may have played the villain, but Queen Latifah was the hero of the small-screen musical.

Will Simone Ashley be in Little mermaid?

Simone Ashley, known for her role in Bridgerton, also appears in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

Who did Queen Latifah play in Little mermaid?

' Let us explain. “The Little Mermaid Live!” may be named after Ariel, but during ABC's musical event, Ursula stole the show. Queen Latifah portrayed the singing sea witch, voiced by Pat Carroll in the animated film and previously played onstage by Rebel Wilson, Harvey Fierstein and Sherie Rene Scott.

How much did Melissa McCarthy get paid for The Little Mermaid?

Melissa McCarthy, who played the devious Ursula in the live-action, made $500,000 for her work in the film. Other cast members received more modest salaries for their supporting roles.

Is Halle Bailey really Singing in The Little Mermaid?

The live-action reimagination of “The Little Mermaid” hits theaters in just days. So far, Halle Bailey has received glowing reviews for her portrayal of Ariel with audiences impressed by her amazing voice singing the classic “A Part of Your World.”

Did Halle Bailey dye her hair for Little Mermaid?

“But I really did admire the fact that because I'm a Black woman and I have locs, [the producers] wanted to incorporate that into Ariel's look,” she added. To get the look, Halle Bailey worked with hairstylist Camille Friend to dye her roots red and wrap her locks in the same hued hair.

Is Ursula Triton's sister?

In this novel, Ursula is King Triton's younger sister who was betrayed by him as a child for choosing a tentacled form instead of a mermaid's tail, and grew up as a human in the town of Ipswich with an adoptive human father.

Why did they change Ariel's sisters names?

So, why the change? One theory is that each of Ariel's sisters represents different oceans that are home to various cultures and ethnicities. It's pretty problematic to have mermaids who all look the same representing such an expansive underwater world.

Is Lizzo The Little Mermaid?

The singing was great. I'll just say that.” The Little Mermaid won't feature Lizzo, but it will star Halle Bailey as Ariel, joined by a supporting cast that also features Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina.