Halle Bailey’s audition for Ariel in Rob Marshall’s upcoming live adaptation of the 1989 movie, The Little Mermaid, isn’t just memorable for the director, but also for the 23-year-old actress, who is set to represent the black community at large. During her audition for the most iconic princess of the Disney renaissance, Marshall admitted that Bailey set the bar so high, that not even hundreds of auditioners could surpass it.
Halle Bailey Is A Reflection Of The Little Mermaid
Halle Bailey, who also recently starred as Ariel in the musical fantasy film The Little Mermaid, left an everlasting impression on director, Rob Marshall, who is set to come up with the live-action remake of the original 1989 Disney movie.
The director first spotted Halle Bailey during her performance at the 2019 Grammys and was convinced that the young singer would be perfect for the role of the titular mermaid. He added:
“[Producer] John DeLuca and I were watching, and I said, ‘John, who is that? She looks like an angel. I mean, Halle’s so beautiful, but she also has an otherworldly sensibility.
This was so important for a character that’s a mermaid and a teenage girl, who has to have this combination of strength, passion, and courage, as well as a kind of naivety and innocence.”
Marshall, known for musicals like Into The Woods and Chicago, admitted about Bailey’s audition that she set the bar so high, that hundreds of auditioners couldn’t surpass it. In his heart, the director had found the perfect Little Mermaid, way back in 2019.
Halle Bailey’s The Little Mermaid Role Is An Inspiration
Halle Bailey admitted in a recent interview, that getting the role of Ariel was a shocker to her, and felt very surreal. The singer admitted that she always “envisioned Ariel as the fair-skinned, red-headed mermaid”, courtesy of the original 1989 animated film. She said:
“Getting that role felt very surreal. It was much of a shocker for me. Even when I was asked to audition, I looked at it and I was like, ‘Me? For Ariel?'”
Halle Bailey was only 18 years old when she auditioned for Rob Marshall’s upcoming movie and shared that she sobbed multiple times while preparing for the role with her dad. She continued, “I remember being so scared and so nervous.” Today, Bailey is an inspiration for black girls, as the actress says, “Hey, you can be this too!”
Source: Twitter
