'The Little Mermaid' will be played by 19-year-old Halle Bailey as Disney casts her as Ariel in the upcoming live-action version of the 1989 film
The singer and actress, who is one half of the musical act Halle x Chloe, and appears on ''Black-ish' spinoff 'Young-ish' with Halle Bailey will play a rare princess of colour
Singer Halle Bailey of Chloe x Halle will be taking a dip in Hollywood with the star role in Disney's Little Mermaid. Singer and actress Halle Bailey will play Ariel in a live-action version of The Little Mermaid, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess.
Bailey, 19, said it was a “dream come true” to play the lead role. She tweeted a cartoon image of the princess in which the traditionally red-headed Ariel has dark skin, brown eyes, and black hair.
Director Rob Marshall said Bailey had been cast after an extensive search, and praised her “rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance – plus a glorious singing voice”.
News of the casting was trending on Twitter late on Wednesday, with many fans overjoyed by the decision.
Like most Disney princesses, Ariel has been portrayed as pale-skinned in previous cartoon films, in which she was voiced by white actress Jodi Benson.
Disney came under criticism last year for “whitewashing” Princess Tiana in cartoon movie Ralph Breaks the Internet, hastily redrawing the character with darker features just months before the film’s release.
Bailey’s casting comes more than two decades after Disney cast singer Brandy, who is also black, as Cinderella in a live-action 1997 film.
Bailey and her sister, Chloe, appear alongside Yara Shahidi, in Grown-ish, the college-life spinoff of US comedy Black-ish. Bailey is also part of the sister duo Chloe x Halle, who received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist last year.
Beyonce became a mentor of sorts to them after seeing the pair cover her song Pretty Hurts in 2013.
They were signed to her label soon after, and Beyonce took them on her tour in 2016.
Former US first lady Michelle Obama is a fan of the duo, turned on to their music by daughters Sasha and Malia.
The Little Mermaid will be the latest in a crop of live-action remakes of classic Disney movies, including the recent Aladdin and this month’s Lion King.
Filming is slated to begin next year.