Some people also believe that Hans Christian Andersen described the Little mermaid as a white mermaid in his book. Therefore, Disney should have cast a white actress instead. There has even been an attempt to change the skin color of Halle Bailey to white.

What ethnicity is The Little Mermaid?

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 race was the original Ariel?

In the 1989 movie, Ariel was born in the fictional underwater kingdom of Atlantica, which technically makes her Atlantican, not Danish. As Ariel is half fish, she cannot be categorized by our ethnicities and races.

Was The Little Mermaid originally white?

Yes, in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, he describes the mermaid as having a “white skin.” Andersen was a Dane, he lived in a place where anyone who wasn't pasty-white (or the sun-damaged variation of pasty-white) was a rarity.

Was the original Little Mermaid dark?

In the original story, The Little Mermaid is motivated by a fear of death and desires a soul and an afterlife in addition to love. The original Little Mermaid story is much darker and violent than Disney's version, with the sea witch brutally cutting out the mermaid's tongue in exchange for legs.

The VERY Messed Up Origins of The Little Mermaid (REVISITED!) | Disney Explained - Jon Solo

What color skin did the original Little Mermaid have?

Since the animated feature film had a white mermaid as Ariel, some people are angry that Disney has gone with a black actress in the live-action. Some people also believe that Hans Christian Andersen described the Little mermaid as a white mermaid in his book.

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 Ariel Black in the book?

Ariel, is a fictional character, with no defined skin color in her original material. She was originally written by a Danish author in the 1800s.

Did the Little Mermaid originally have green skin?

In the original Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen the protagonist is described as having skin that 'was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf'. So unless you want Ariel snot green, please stop pretending your 'concerns' are about authorial intent.

Was Ariel originally blonde?

“I remember the first thumbnail sketches,” Benson tells EW of the first iterations of Ariel. “She had blonde hair. She looked like one of the exaggerated faces from [the] Peter Pan era. She looked a little bit glamorous and a little bit mature to me.”

Is Ariel Greek or Danish?

Ariel's story really begins in Ancient Greece. According to lore, she is a nereid, one of the dozens of daughters of the sea-god Triton. This isn't the first time that the internet has been set alight over the suggestion that famous figures of antiquity could be anything but white.

Why did they make Scuttle a girl?

Diversity. Ariel had 3 male animal friends, so they needed to make one a girl. Same reason they made Jock a girl (Jacqueline aka Jacque) in the Lady & The Tramp live-action remake.

What did the original Little Mermaid look like?

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.

Was Little Mermaid Caribbean?

The Little Mermaid is set in the Caribbean

But while filming took place on the Italian island in the heart of the Mediterranean, the action of the film is meant to take place in the Caribbean.

What color is Ariel?

In the live-action film, Ariel is different than her original animation counterpart; she has tan skin, glossy auburn hair, peach lips and brown eyes. Her lavender seashell bikini top has scale designs and being mixed up with the colors of teal.

When did the Little Mermaid come out black?

It was released theatrically on May 26, 2023, in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. A sing-along edition of the film was released in theaters on August 25, 2023.

Is Ariel's dad white?

The casting is beautifully “colour blind”, with the prince being white and his mother being Black (he is adopted). At the same time, the Little Mermaid's father is white, while her mermaid sisters are of various different races and ethnicities.

Why is Ariel's tail green?

The color of Ariel's fin was specially created by Disney.

It's not your average green tone — Ariel's fin is an original hue mixed by the Disney Paint Lab. The sea-green color is now named after her!

Did mermaids originate in Africa?

They originate in African cosmology, thousands of years ago, meant to honor the sacred nature of water. Among those revered is a water goddess known as Mami Wata. When it comes to children's storybooks, Davis recalls first seeing a Black mermaid in “Sukey and the Mermaid” written by Robert D.

What is the original Dark Ariel story?

The original story is dark that included a murder and suicide. When Little Mermaid visits Ursula, the Sea Witch she strikes a deal, swapping her voice and tongue for legs. She will only survive if she wins over the affections of the Prince.

Why are Ariel's sisters different races?

All of king Triton's daughters represent their own seas all over the world and as such they are all different ethnicities in the movie. It is not specified where the movie takes place, i.e. where Ariel lives but it's obvious it's not in Denmark.

Why is Prince Eric's mom black?

There are several instances when Eric's mother Queen Salina (Noma Dumezweni), who is Black and adopted him as a child when he washed up from the ocean, chastises him for his obvious love for beings that are considered other.

What Disney characters are now black?

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.