Despite the overwhelming amount of hate that surrounded the Disney live-action remake for comprising Halle Bailey at its forefront, the actress did outdo herself with her performance. Not only the movie became one of the best live-action remakes that has come out of the studio, but it also did a wonderful job at separating itself from its predecessor, while still respecting the original’s greatness.
Among these changes, one involved the change in Ariel’s iconic costume design, and the costume designer for the new installment revealed why they had to shift away from the original design.
The Little Mermaid costume designer reflects on ditching the original design
The Little Mermaid has witnessed its fair share of changes that separate itself from the original so that it can fit with the modern generation. Ariel’s original costume, involving a shell bra, also didn’t make it to the new movie, and the costume designer for The Little Mermaid, Colleen Atwood, later explained why they had to shift from the original. Reflecting on the decision to not include any shell bra for any of the Mermaids, Atwood claimed that it didn’t sit well in the medium of live-action and appeared more aggressive than what they were going for. She explained,
“I just think we wanted to have a more fishlike quality to the girls. Having them all plonk seashells on their breasts seemed like a weird way to go. And when you start putting shells on real bodies, it’s hard to make them look good, believe me. We went with a bralette that still has a fish vibe but wasn’t as aggressive as a shell bra.”
But despite the changes, it didn’t hinder the film as Halle Bailey did a fantastic job and the original Little Mermaid had nothing but nice to say about the actress.
Original Ariel supports Halle Bailey’s iteration of the beloved character
Even after decades, The Little Mermaid holds a special place among the fans of the medium, as it kickstarted the Disney Renaissance and made Ariel a fan-favorite, thanks to Jodi Benson’s voice performance. Although before the release of the new live-action remake, many questioned Halle Bailey in the role, the original Ariel didn’t back away from supporting the retelling of the classic story. Benson stated,
“We’ve got to be aware of our growth as humans and what’s important now and what maybe isn’t as important. Things change. We’ve got to roll with that. I think that Rob [Marshall] and John [DeLuca] have done a beautiful job of doing that and still paying tribute and honor to our original film, but you’ve got to have growth.”
Jodi Benson also went on to commend Halle Bailey for her performance, as she stated, “I’m so proud of you and your beautiful performance as Ariel!”. And following the overall reception of the film, despite some of its flaws, Halle Bailey remains the best part of the film.
The Little Mermaid is currently running in theatres.
Source: IMDb
