Hey, it’s been a while since the last live-action Disney remake, hasn’t it? At least life will be the bubbles once the next massive musical based on an already classic movie arrives. I'm, of course, talking about The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey, who's has been on our radar since her casting was announced back in 2019. With just one year left before we see the young singer and actress as Ariel, Bailey can’t stop channelling her Disney Princess character.
The 22-year-old vocalist known for her sister act Chloe x Halle took to Instagram to share a dreamy vacation photo that is quite Little Mermaid-like. Check it out:
Bailey posed in a sea green bikini against some beautiful views. She captioned the photo “when your bathing suit matches the water.” The photo was liked by nearly a half a million people, with singer SZA commenting “Ugh ur just the one man 😍” and fellow Disney star and singer Vanessa Hudgens saying “Looks like heaven.”
Halle Bailey did not disclose the beautiful haven she recently found herself in, but there was certainly a lot of fun to be had while she was on vacation, with her boyfriend and rapper, DDG. In another set of photos, The Little Mermaid actress can be seen aboard a boat, parasailing, being buried by the sand, indulging in some sushi and zip lining. In the photo set below, Bailey even posed with a plush of a little mermaid like herself:
The live-action Little Mermaid movie was set to begin filming in spring 2020, but the pandemic delayed the production nearly a full year. The movie that was directed by Mary Poppins Returns’ Rob Marshall filmed throughout 2021, including in Sardinia, Italy. The cast includes Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton, with Awkwafina lending her voice for Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian. Jonah Hauer-King will play Bailey’s Prince Eric.
Although Bailey’s casting unfortunately had some backlash, the actress is “grateful” she’s been able to “reinvent” Ariel with her live-action role and show other Black women and children that they can be magical and mythical too. Halle and her sister Chloe were discovered by Beyoncé after putting out YouTube video covers of songs, and they were signed with her record label. The sisters have acted in Grown-ish and their own music videos, but The Little Mermaid is Halle’s biggest role yet.
Halle Bailey has already booked another musical in the form of The Color Purple, which has a massive cast list including Taraji P. Henson, Aunjanue Ellis, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins and Ciara. Bailey will play Nettie in the remake. We’ll first see Bailey’s chops on the big screen with the upcoming movie, The Little Mermaid, hitting theaters on May 26, 2023.
