Disney has cast singer and actor Hally Bailey as Ariel for it’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
During his search, director Rob Marshall found the Chloe x Halle member the perfect fit for the iconic character.
“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role,” Marshall said in a statement.
For the actor, this is a “dream come true.” People lauded Disney for casting a young, black woman for a significant role as people of colour strive to get get due opportunities in Hollywood.
dream come true… 🧜🏽♀️🌊 pic.twitter.com/sndjYUS6wO
— chloe x halle (@chloexhalle) July 3, 2019
The 19-year-old child actor will be joining a cast that includes Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina.
The original 1989 animated hit walked us through 16-year-old mermaid Ariel’s journey of falling for a human prince although she was forbidden by her controlling father King Triton to visit the land.
The production for the highly anticipated Disney remake will kick off in 2020.
Bailey has previously starred in Disney’s Let It Shine and the Freeform series Grown-ish.
