The Little Mermaid: How Halle Bailey’s Ariel Can Impact Society
Most of us have heard by now that Disney has casted Halle Bailey, a black singer and actress, as Ariel in their newest live-action-in-progress. This announcement resulted in a mixed response from the public; while most supported her role with wild enthusiasm, some disapproved of Disney's casting choice, claiming that a black Ariel was no Ariel at all. The backlash that Bailey received was horribly racist and immoral, but she remained strong and held her head up high for the sake of those in need of representation.
"I want... the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they are special, and that they should be a princess in every single way," Bailey enthused in an interview with Variety on the importance of her role as Ariel.
Disney recently provided fans with a stunning official teaser trailer and movie poster, building excitement for the upcoming film. Members of the black community have taken to social media to express their enthusiasm, and heartwarming videos of black children reacting to the teaser trailer have been spread.
"She's like me!" one girl exclaimed in wonder after watching the trailer. The priceless expressions of joy on each and every child's face as they realized that Ariel had the same skin color as them are unforgettable to viewers, as they should be.
Before Halle Bailey, only one other black actor has been casted as a Disney princess: Anika Noni Rose, the voice actor of Tiana in "The Princess and the Frog."
This emphasizes the importance of the role Bailey carries as a representative of the black community. Society will greatly benefit from this film, many believe, and hopefully this belief will come to pass. Following this thought, let us analyze three possible ways Halle Bailey's Ariel can impact and benefit society:
It can encourage young black children to be proud of their identity.
Halle Bailey, often praised for her beauty, can be an icon for black children to look up to as they grow up, showing them that someone just like them can reach such heights. One's own race and ethnicity is something one should take pride in, and yet so many members of the black community feel shame at the color of their skin, too familiar with the discrimination that it ensues. "The Little Mermaid" could encourage these people to look upon their skin color and identity with the pride that it deserves.
It can be an usherer of a new age with less discrimination.
Disney's 1918 cartoon Ariel was iconic for her stunning red hair and her flawless white skin, accompanied by her iridescent tail. The idea that Disney would be willing to diverge from the iconic perception of Ariel to cast a black actor, equally beautiful with her caramel skin, is an indicator that there may be coming an age with less racism and discrimination. Of course, it would be virtually impossible to completely be rid of racism, yet a world with less of it seems delicately plausible. "The Little Mermaid" itself may be an usherer of this new age, representing the black community in a beautiful and momentous way.
It can break barriers within the entertainment industry.
No one would ever have imagined that "white" Ariel would soon become "black" Ariel, shattering the unspoken barrier that barred people of color from playing roles that didn't match their race. This broken barrier now can pave the way for other aspiring actors and actresses in the entertainment industry, who are perhaps no longer limited to specific roles in every context. It's common knowledge that actors must go through arduous times to provide the industry with an apt appearance for a role; some actors must starve themselves to appear sickly while others must overeat to appear like a "couch potato." While it may be presumptuous to say so, having one broken barrier may result in others crashing down as well, giving actors less stress regarding their appearance and body size. Perhaps they will receive less pressure on perfectly fitting the required mold for a role, especially with the ever-developing and evolving CG.
"The Little Mermaid" is set to be released in theaters on May 26, 2023. Fans all over the world eagerly anticipate this date, and you should too. We have a long wait until its release, but when it does arrive, I highly encourage you to visit the theater and enjoy a movie that has the potential to positively impact society.