In 2020, Walt Disney began filming a live-action version of “The Little Mermaid.” The movie was set to come out in 2021, but was postponed due to covid. It was recently confirmed that the movie will now come to theaters on May 26, 2023. The singer/actress Halle Bailey is playing the lead role Ariel. The trailer came out a few weeks ago and many people are upset about it.
The trailer highlighted the fact that Halle Bailey is an African American woman with long red dreadlocks, but, in the animated film, Ariel is a white woman. Many people on all different social media sites are very unhappy about this. They believe that Walt Disney should have kept Ariel as a white character like she is in the animated version of the movie. However, some people think that this act was a great thing for Disney to do. They believe that Disney princesses need more diversity and range between them. As of right now, there is only one black disney princess, compared to the other traditional white ones. In a recent Q&A with Halle Bailey, she stated, “I know what it would have meant to me as a little girl to have been able to see a black Ariel when I was younger. If I would have seen that, it would have changed my whole outlook on life.” After the trailer came out, videos of parents filming their young black daughters’ reaction to it came to the internet. The children were overjoyed that they have a princess that “looks like them!”
I think that it is ridiculous that grown adults are getting upset over a princess movie. It is a good thing that Disney is adding more minority characters and princesses. It gives representation to kids that have had to grow up seeing mostly white characters and none that they can relate to. Some people need to accept the fact that the world is becoming more and more diverse everyday and that they should learn how to not get upset over it.
What are your feelings about the new “The Little Mermaid” movie?
Do you think Disney should have gone with a white actress to match the animated film?
Are you planning on watching the movie when it comes to theaters?
https://variety.com/2022/film/news/trevor-noah-racists-black-ariel-the-little-mermaid-1235374905/
Replies
I think that they should have kept a white actress as Ariel. The story was written in 1837 and no one has had this big of an issue until they made her the actor. This goes with the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it". although I agree that people are making it too big of a deal at the end of the day she is just a cartoon character.
I believe that they should not have changed the race of the character, even if they were trying to prove a point or show their support. Although there's nothing wrong with it, the orginal character is white, so that would be the same as remaking the movie "The Princess and the Frog" and changing the character Tiana to be white. I'm not sure if I'll watch the movie.
I can see both sides of the controversy. On one hand, I understand how people are mad for them changing the movie. I also get how it is nice for there to be more black princesses. I think that Disney should have just kept the princess white because that is the one everyone grew up with.
I think Halle Bailey is an excellent fit for the little mermaid since a very important aspect of the character is her voice, Halle is an amazing singer with an amazing vocal range so I'm sure she is a great fit for the role regardless of her skin tone. For little kids to be able to see themselves represented in media is way more important than companies not changing to try end please racist adults.
I agree, Halle Bailey was casted because of her acting and amazing singing ability, not because of her race. Minorities recieving representation is just an added bonus to the actress being casted.
I think that they shouldn't have changed what Ariel looks like. I talked to my mom about it and she made a point what if we changed a black princess white, what would people say about that. I feel they could have just made a new story with a black princess. I might watch the movie only because Ariel is one of my favorite disney princess'.
Ariel is not only a fictional character but also A FISH. The fact that people are upset about the change in skin tone, which has made so many young African American girls happy, is disgusting. I think that it was a good idea, we need more diversity in Disney. For a majority of Disney's existence, the characters have been white. It's time to see something different.
I completely agree, mermaids are fictional and made-up characters. There are many other problems going on in the world that these people need to be worried about. A Disney Princess movie should be the least of their problems.
I agree people are overreacting about the change in the skin tone diversity is very important nowadays.
Let's face it guys. Change is going to happen no matter what. Yes, I can see how some adults are getting upset. I mean, if I grew up to the Little Mermaid, and they changed the casting, yes, i could be mad. But again, it is just a movie, things change throughout time, and if you don't like the casting, then don't see it. When Disney makes cartoon movies into live action movies, things are altered, and honestly, I think that it is ok that she main character is black, it doesn't change the story line or the quality of the movie, does it?
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