Halle Bailey as Ariel inThe Little Mermaid(2023).Photo: Disney
The Little Mermaiddirector Rob Marshall says the production was searching for someone who could exude “a great deal of fire and joy” when they castHalle Baileyas Ariel.
“We just were looking for the best actor for the role, period. The end,” Marshall, 62, toldEntertainment Weeklyof casting Bailey, 22, emphasizing that the team had “no agenda” in the process. “We saw everybody and every ethnicity.”
Marshall said the casting team’s goal was to find someone who could be “incredibly strong, passionate, beautiful, smart, clever,” and exude “a great deal of fire and joy” in playing the iconic Disney princess.
“That voice is something that is so signature and so ethereal and so beautiful that it captures the heart of Eric, and he looks for her for the entire film,” the director added of the need to cast a high-quality singer for the lead role.
Elsewhere in the interview, Marshall noted that he “wasn’t anticipating” the major positive reaction the upcoming film has received after audiences saw a Black actor portray Ariel when Disney debuteda teaser trailerin September.
“I wasn’t anticipating that because, in a way, I felt like we’ve moved so far past that kind of thing,” the director toldEWof the noteworthy onscreen representation. “But then you realize, in a way we haven’t. It was very moving to me to see how important this kind of casting is for the world.”
The Walt Disney Company via Getty
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In September, Bailey told PEOPLE at the D23 Expo abouthow playing Ariel changed her. “I’d definitely say coming into this film I was a lot more, I think, just young-minded and a bit more not sure of myself so much,” she said. “The whole experience of filming, in more ways than one, mirrored Ariel’s journey of finding herself and her voice.”
At the event, Bailey recalled “just sobbing because I truly felt like I had come out of this cocoon with Ariel” at the end of filming the upcoming movie.
“This story has done so much for me and the filming process has really kind of changed my life,” she added. “I’d definitely say it mirrored what Ariel goes through in the film.”
Corey Nickols/Getty Images for IMDb
The actress added that the film has “changed my perspective on everything” and “impacted my life in so many ways.” And she hopes the representation she now brings to the iconic story will mean just as much to young audiences.
The Little Mermaidis in theaters May 26.
source: people.com
