A new trailer for Disney's "The Little Mermaid [1]" movie was released on Sept. 9, and it features singer Halle Bailey as Ariel [2]. In the teaser clip, Bailey transforms into a mermaid. At first, viewers can only see a glimpse of her tail as she travels under the sea. Later, as she sings "Part of Your World," a better view of her costume appears: the well-known strapless purple bra top and ombré green sequined skirt. True to the original look, she skips jewelry in favor of a carefree style. Her long red hair, which reaches down her lower back, is also on theme.
Bailey shared her excitement on Instagram [3], writing, "Can't believe it's happening 🐚💗✨". Fans were thrilled about the news, as Disney has had very few Black characters in such a prominent role. Bailey's boyfriend, DDG [4], was among the first to react to the news. He described the moment as "historic" and "legendary" under her Instagram post, then in a video [5] shared on his YouTube channel a few days later, he said, "This is what you call amazing. I be telling [Halle] all the time, she don't even understand how great this is. This is incredible." Indeed, this is a big win for Black representation [6], and young children have also been reacting to the moment.
Parents on TikTok [7] have been sharing their Black daughters' reactions to the trailer, a few of which caught Bailey's attention. Resharing a montage [8] on her Instagram page, she wrote, "people have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and i'm in truly in awe ♥️ seeing these little babies reactions makes me so emotional 💗this means the world to me 💗😭"
"The Little Mermaid" is a live-action remake of the famous animated movie and set to hit theaters on May 26, 2023. Watch the trailer ahead.
Halle Bailey in Disney's "The Little Mermaid"
Halle Bailey in Disney's "The Little Mermaid"
