If you grew up singing and dancing with Ariel and friends in The Little Mermaid, the ambitious, redheaded princess probably holds a unique place in your Disney-loving heart. We feel the obsession 100 percent, which is why we rounded up the most interesting facts about our beloved mermaid-turned-human. See them all ahead!
Previously, Disney had created reactive princesses whose aspirations mainly revolved around finding a prince to live happily ever after with. Ariel, on the other hand, is serious about her dream to become human. Yes, her desire for Eric is a key element, but The Little Mermaid is contemporary in tone — Ariel's wish to be among humans is a primary focus.
Ariel's swirling locks were inspired by footage of astronaut Sally Ride when she was in space.
In the first film, she's only 16 years old; she's also the youngest of King Triton's seven daughters.
Hercules is the son of Zeus. King Triton is the son of Poseidon. Poseidon and Zeus are brothers, making Hercules and Triton cousins. Since Ariel is the daughter of Triton, Hercules and Ariel are first cousins, once removed. MIND-BLOWING, right?!
Why is Ariel's hair red? First, green (the color of Ariel's fin) and red are complementary colors. Also, Daryl Hannah played a blond mermaid a few years prior in Splash, so they wanted to make Ariel stand out.
Who says you have to be a human to come from a line of royalty?
Model, actress, and writer Sherri Stoner engaged in live-action sequences for the animators while the film was being made. She was also a source of inspiration for another fan-favorite princess, Belle.
Alyssa Milano revealed on The Wendy Williams Show that the rumors are true — the artwork of Ariel drew inspiration from pictures of her younger self. Here's the video for reference (skip to 9:25).
She has six (!) sisters, to be exact.
It's not your average green tone — Ariel's fin is an original hue mixed by the Disney Paint Lab. The sea-green color is now named after her!
Ariel inherited a few of Triton's personality traits, plus his formerly red hair. The resemblance to Ariel's mother is said to be another reason for the king's favoritism.
Former Disney producer/current DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberger allegedly thought it was "boring." Needless to say, we're glad the iconic tune was kept in the film.
Honestly? This princess is completely stunning in both movies.
She's one extraordinary princess, indeed.