Halle Bailey recalls watching the cartoon at just five years old. “I remember Ariel being the reason I wanted to swim,” she says to Glamour, adding, “When I saw her [I was] like, 'She's so beautiful; I want to be a mermaid too. '” Well, mission accomplished.
When it was announced that Halle Bailey would be taking on the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, there were some people a little confused and instead were under the impression that it was actually Oscar-winning actress Halle Berrywho had been cast.
How much did Halle Bailey get paid for 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.
Director Rob Marshall had auditioned the crème de la crème of young Hollywood for the role, and even Zendaya was rumored to have read for the part. But it was movie newcomer Bailey who won the coveted lead.
Does Halle Bailey do her own singing in The Little Mermaid?
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.” “This song has meant so much to so many of us for so long,” Bailey explained to KTLA 5's Sam Rubin on Monday.
‘Little Mermaid’ director says Halle Bailey was the first to audition and set the bar high
When did Halle Bailey become Ariel?
In July 2019, Disney announced that Bailey had been cast as Ariel, the titular mermaid, in The Little Mermaid, a live-action remake of the 1989 animated film of the same name. She would also record and perform the soundtrack for the film.
Will Halle Bailey have red hair in The Little Mermaid?
The film, which was released in the UK on Friday 26 May, sees Halle take on the titular character of Ariel, a mermaid who's one wish is to see what's beyond the sea. While Halle keeps Ariel's signature red hair for the film, she decided to keep her natural locs for the role but dyed them a copper colour instead.
Lizzo showcased her audition for The Little Mermaid's Ursula in a since-privated viral video. She didn't get the part, but she "was down to make Ursula a THOT, shaking ass." The role went to Melissa McCarthy, whom Lizzo met during a taping of Adele's "One Night Only" concert.
Halle Bailey was the first to audition for the beloved and coveted role of Ariel in Disney's live-action “The Little Mermaid.” After Bailey belted out the classic showstopper “Part of Your World” from the original 1989 film, director Rob Marshall and the other filmmakers knew that she was the one for the role.
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.
What did Melissa McCarthy get paid for 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.
In late 1986, Benson first heard of the audition for The Little Mermaid through lyricist and playwright Howard Ashman. The two had just worked together in the Broadway show Smile until its run ended early. He knew she would be the perfect fit for the role and that she would be a great replica of Ariel.
“I had done a photoshoot for Disney a few years back where Annie Leibowitz shot me as Ursula,” Queen Latifah told “GMA” in an exclusive interview. “So when this popped up, it was like, OK, a TV production. Alright … Once they explained to me the way that they wanted to do it, I thought it was interesting.”
Berry was born Maria Halle Berry, though her name was legally changed to Halle Maria Berry in 1971. Berry's parents selected her middle name from Halle's Department Store, which was then a local landmark in her birthplace of Cleveland, Ohio.
Lizzo Reflects on Her 'Terrible' Audition for 'The Little Mermaid' Remake: 'I Was Down to Make Ursula a THOT' "The singing was great. I'll just say that," the singer shared of going for the role.
The Ursula we know (and fear) was almost not. Disney worked through several versions of “The Little Mermaid's” antagonist, from trying to cast Bea Arthur, Joan Collins and Broadway star Elaine Stritch to voice the villain to considering her form to a shark.
The actress was especially drawn to the role of Ursula the sea witch. "I loved her so much. She's such a broad, I just wanted to have a drink with her," McCarthy says. "And yes, she's the villain, but I was like, I think I get her.
The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall has explained the reasons behind Melissa McCarthy's casting as Ursula in upcoming live action remake. Speaking to SFX magazine, Marshall revealed that the actress' background in drag performance had been a significant part in her landing the role.
Meet Jessica Alexander, The Little Mermaid's breakout star: the bisexual Gen Z actress plays Ursula's human incarnate for 6 minutes in the Disney film, and sticks up for co-star Halle Bailey.
The hair that was added was Keratin-infused, three different shades of red, and 30 inches long — which meant the price tag was high. “I'm not guesstimating, but we probably spent at least $150,000 because we had to redo it and take it out," Friend said. "You couldn't use it and we'd have to start again.
“[Ariel still] has red hair, because that's a very iconic part of her, 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 told the outlet.
The physical transformation of Halle did take some time, effort, and money to help her become the character of Ariel. According to Variety, Halle Bailey wished to stay true to her Black heritage and show her natural hair in the movie. So, hair extensions were used rather than a wig.
