Atlanta native Halle Bailey on intense ‘Little Mermaid’ movie preparation
Transforming into a Disney princess is no easy feat – just ask Halle Bailey.
Four years ago, one half of the sibling duo, Chloe x Halle, was cast as the lead in the live-action reboot of “The Little Mermaid.” This is groundbreaking in itself, as Halle is only the second Black actor to play a Disney princess – the first being Anika Noni Rose as the voice of Tiana in the 2009 release of “The Princess and the Frog.” Speaking of Tiana, she has a ride opening at Disney Land Resort and Walt Disney World in 2024.
Ok, back to Bailey - as much as being a Disney princess sounds whimsical and even glamorous, there were a lot of waves that Bailey encountered on her way to the deepest parts of the magical sea. For one, the pandemic caused several delays. Director Rob Marshall first saw Halle at the 2019 Grammy Awards, where Chloe x Halle performed “Where Is the Love?” As much as he loved her singing, he wasn’t sure if she could act - so he asked her to audition by singing Ariel’s anthem, “Part of Your World.” “When she finished, I was in tears because she’s so soulful,” Marshall said. ”You could tell right away that she was able to harness Ariel’s passion, her fire, her soul, her joy and her heart.”
Between COVID delays and getting emotionally prepared for the role, Bailey also had to learn several aerodynamic techniques – flying on wires and other technical apparatuses in order to truly embody Ariel’s mermaid-like movements. We are talking flying, spinning and flipping through the air – can you imagine the workout she got while doing all of that?!
When it comes to the costume, everyone has been very hush-hush, but Marshall says that Ariel’s hair incorporates Bailey’s signature locs. “She looks stunning in red hair; not everybody does,” Marshall said.
Bailey is a busy woman, right after filming “The Little Mermaid” she headed to Georgia to work on the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” She’ll be playing Nettie, the main character Celie’s sister.
“The Little Mermaid” is set to release in May 2023. By the looks of this picture, Bailey is princess-ready, on land, as much as in the sea.
About the Author
Vicky Ro is the Entertainment Reporter for Access Atlanta. When it comes to the latest in music, film, reality television (and all things entertainment), you can count on Vicky to keep you up to date! Vicky's goal is to create fun and informative content that everyone can enjoy - from a casual entertainment consumer to the pop culture obsessed!
