When Halle Bailey, one-half of the critically acclaimed pop/R&B duo Chloe x Halle was announced to play Ariel in Rob Marshall’s upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1989 Disney animated classic The Little Mermaid, racists were quick to come out of the woodwork.

Detractors claimed that Bailey, a Black actress, was the wrong person to portray the role of Ariel, who was originally depicted as a red-haired white woman in the 1989 film. However, many people, including Ariel’s original portrayer Jodi Benson came to Bailey’s defense.

Bailey is not letting racist naysayers and detractors kill her vibe.

“I feel like I’m dreaming and I’m just grateful and I don’t pay attention to the negativity,” she said in an interview with Variety. “I just feel like this role was something bigger than me and greater and it’s going to be beautiful. I’m just so excited to be a part of it.”

Production on the film is set to begin in early 2020.

 

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