Following 19-year-old Halle Bailey’s casting as Ariel in Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, some racist backlash surfaced on the Internet over the decision to have a black actress play the red-headed mermaid princess.
But Bailey seems to be unfazed. In an interview with Variety, the Chloe x Halle member said the experience feels “like I’m dreaming.”
“I’m just grateful and I don’t pay attention to the negativity,” she continued. “I just feel like this role is something bigger than me.”
Halle Bailey on her new #LittleMermaid role: “I don’t pay attention to the negativity; I just feel like this role is something bigger than me” https://t.co/pidgYYQ0lw pic.twitter.com/rmUxbFSuYY
— Variety (@Variety) August 7, 2019
Though nothing has been confirmed yet, Harry Styles is in talks to play Prince Eric, while Jacob Trembley is being considered for the role of Flounder and Awkwafina for the group’s seagull friend, Scuttle.