In the original 1989 Disney animated classic, Ariel's character is White, with straight red hair. But as Murphy and other young Black and brown girls head to theaters this weekend to see “The Little Mermaid,” they'll find an Ariel that is very much a reflection of themselves.

What ethnicity is Ariel in The Little Mermaid?

The movie is loosely based on the fairy tale, so Disney has the freedom to give Ariel any skin color they want. In the 1989 movie, Ariel was born in the fictional underwater kingdom of Atlantica, which technically makes her Atlantican, not Danish.

Is Ariel black in The New Little Mermaid?

The new version stars Halle Bailey, most known for her role in the Grammy-nominated Chloe x Halle R&B duo, as Ariel in the actress's first starring feature film role. This casting of a Black woman as the iconic mermaid has made waves.

What color is Ariel from The Little Mermaid?

Ariel is a beautiful adolescent mermaid with an hourglass figure, fair skin, red lips, red hair, and large, aqua-blue eyes.

Will Ariel be black at Disney World?

Upon the casting of singer and actress Halle Bailey in the role of Ariel, Disney was branded as pushing its diversity and inclusion efforts, walking that thin line of political correctness. Bailey, a Black actress, takes on the role of the singing mermaid made famous by Jodi Benson.

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Why did Disney make Ariel black?

Sampson also explained the additional significance of having a black mermaid due to the societal assumption that black people don't swim. She pointed out that this is only the case because black people were systematically denied the opportunity to learn to swim for centuries.

When did Disney announce Black Ariel?

Controversies. After the announcement of Bailey's involvement in July 2019 and the release of first teaser in September 2022, the film gained mixed responses from the public for casting an African-American actress as Ariel, who was originally Caucasian with red hair in the 1989 animated film.

Will snow white be black?

In the new, 2024 Disney adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Snow White will be played by Latina actress Rachel Zegler despite her name and the former popular depictions of the princess.

What race is Moana?

Moana as she appears in Moana (2016). Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana is depicted as the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.

Why is a black girl playing The Little Mermaid?

Even if we get nothing else out of these remakes, being racially nimble with how they are cast helps both old and young audiences reimagine what our cultural icons look like. Representation is important, but we also need to separate canon from whiteness and decolonize society's sense of who children should look up to.

Is the new Little Mermaid LGBTQ?

Even though we didn't get an outwardly and obviously queer character or a same-sex mer-couple (it would have been cute and meaningful for the LGBTQ+ community), which would have acknowledged the story's queer allegorical background, a lot of the issues have to do stem from the lack of representation both in front of ...

Is there a Black Disney Prince?

There's been Aladdin for Middle Eastern representation, or even Li Shang for Asian representation, and he's not a Disney prince, but we still consider him. But there's never been a black Disney prince.

How is Ariel described in the book?

In Andersen's fairy tale, the Little Mermaid is described as follows: "her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea." And if you're wondering if Andersen's Little Mermaid had that signature bright red hair that has become synonymous with mermaids, the answer is unclear.

Why are Ariel's sisters different ethnicities?

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.

Why don't people like the new Little Mermaid movie?

One major criticism of the 2023 version of The Little Mermaid is that it is simply too long. The new film clocks in at 2 hours and 15 minutes, about 50 minutes longer than the original. While the live-action remake uses this time to flesh out certain characters, not all of its extended runtime is used wisely.

What race is Jasmine?

While some claim Jasmine is Arab because the movie opens with a song called Arabian Nights, others believe that the architecture in Agrabah is clearly based on the Taj Mahal, making Jasmine Indian. It's a debate that has fueled speculation that in Hollywood, Indians and Arabs are interchangeable.

Who is the dark skinned Disney princess?

Tiana is recognized for being Disney's first African American princess. As the film's writers and directors, Clements and Musker claim that their decision to depict Tiana as an African American young woman came naturally simply as a result of the location in which the story takes place.

Who was the first black Disney character?

But Tiana, Disney's first Black animated protagonist, would be onscreen for just about 40 minutes. More shockingly, she would be drawn as a Black woman for just 17 of those minutes.

What race is Cinderella?

Official: Snow White (German) Cinderella (French) Aurora (French, when I see someone call her British I internally SCREAM)

What ethnicity is Cinderella?

Cinderella – France

Although the Disney classic doesn't explicitly state her nationality, her story is derived from Charles Perrault's French fairy tale “Cendrillon.” The grandeur of her royal ball and the charming château reflect the opulence of France's royal history.

What is the Disney princess's ethnicity?

Was the first Ariel black?

“It makes me think I can do this, I can do it without anyone stopping me.” In the original 1989 Disney animated classic, Ariel's character is White, with straight red hair.

Is Ursula Triton's sister?

Ursula was played by Melissa McCarthy in the 2023 live action remake of The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall. In this version, like with the Broadway musical, Ursula is the estranged younger sister of King Triton (played by Javier Bardem), thus making her the paternal aunt to Ariel and her sisters in this film.

What happened to Ariel's mom?

Ariel's Mother Had a Brutal Disney Death

Athena took too long to try and escape (going back for a music box she'd gotten for her husband as a gift), and she ends up crushed between the pirate ship and the rocks of the cove. Ariel's mother is far from the only material figure in Disney Animation to die.