Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry are ending editing work on their movie ‘Golden.’
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey and Da’Vine Joy Randolph were among the stars.
The film is unlikely to ever see the light of day.
It’s a hard, old truth in Hollywood and beyond that movies can hit roadblocks at any stage in the process. Some are lost forever in the deep wells of development hell. Others reach production, but money issues curtail shooting, or problems arise.
And then there are the unusual stories of movies that make it all the way through the shoot, only to fall apart at the final hurdle.
In the last couple of years, we’ve seen the frustrating behavior of Warner Bros., overseen by money-grubbing CEO David Zaslav, who has decreed that movies he and his accountants aren’t sure will be financially viable should be locked away or deleted forever, the studio instead taking a tax hit: ‘Batgirl’ and ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ are the two that we know about.
But ‘Golden,’ the movie formerly known as ‘Atlantis,’ a collaboration between musician Pharrell Williams and visual stylist/filmmaker Michel Gondry, is a different case altogether.
According to Variety, they’ve been editing the new movie, and have decided it simply doesn’t work. And that’s despite Universal assigning a release date for May.
‘Golden’ came about following Universal’s collaboration with Pharrell on ‘Piece by Piece.’ Distributed by the company’s Focus Features arm, the unusual biopic told his life story through the medium of LEGO animation.
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‘Piece by Piece’ was not exactly a success for the company –– it actually lost money, taking in $10 million worldwide on a $16 million budget –– but given the musician’s long connection to the studio (he’s provided hit music for the ‘Despicable Me’ franchise among others), it was seemingly happy to keep working with him.
Described as a musical expedition set in the summer of 1977 in Virginia Beach, it was to have told more of a coming-of-age story than anything directly influenced by Williams’ story (aside from the setting).
Here’s what he told Empire about the movie and how it differs from his previous project:
“ ‘Piece By Piece’ is about my life, whereas ‘Golden’ is about a neighborhood that I grew up in. It’s a coming-of-age story about self-discovery and pursuing your dreams, but it’s so much more magical than that. It’s a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.”
And while it was originally named ‘Atlantis’ after the building from Williams’ early life, he also explained the title change:
“It just speaks to the narrative, the area, the energy and literally everything about the film, which is this analysis of what being ‘golden’ is. Children and grown-ups with inner children within them can connect to it and realise that there’s a golden aspect to them too, whether it’s realised or latent.”
Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams serves as music consultant for the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer. Credit/Provider: Jam Sutton.
Unfortunately for those anticipating the new movie, it has now been shut down after unanimous agreement from producers and Gondry that the film did not live up to its developed conceit.
Gil Netter (‘The Blind Side’) was serving as producer alongside Williams and his creative partner Mimi Valdes.
Here’s what the main duo told Variety about the decision to halt work:
“When all of us got into the editing room we collectively decided there wasn’t a path forward to tell the version of this story that we originally envisioned. We appreciate all the hard work of the talented cast and crew. While we’re disappointed we can’t deliver this film, we have incredible partners at Universal and will collaborate in a different capacity again soon.”
And in case you’re wondering whether it’ll find release in some other venue, the disappointing news is that it’ll apparently never see the light of day. So your visions of Gondry and Williams somehow whipping up a hand puppet version of the story are unlikely to come to fruition.
What else are Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry working on?
Kerry Washington in ‘The Six Triple Eight’. Photo: Netflix.
It’s not the pair doesn’t have plenty of other projects to keep them busy.
Pharrell is currently serving as the men’s creative director at fashion house Louis Vuitton.
His next project is the animated ‘Maya, Give Me A Title,’ about his relationship with his daughter. It will screen at this month’s Berlin Film Festival.
Ariel (Halle Bailey), the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica’s ruler King Triton (Javier Bardem), is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck and falling in love with him, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress Eric. However, this ultimately places her life (and her father’s crown) in jeopardy.
Costume designer Colleen Atwood at “The Little Mermaid Enchanted Celebration” on September 15th. Photo credit: Dan Steinberg for Walt Disney Studios.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with four-time Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (‘Chicago,’ ‘Alice in Wonderland‘) about her work on ‘The Little Mermaid,’ her process, her longstanding working relationship with director Rob Marshall, designing the look of the mermaids, working closely with the VFX department, taking cultural inspirations for the costumes, and revisiting the animated classic, as well as a tease of the costumes she created for Tim Burton’s upcoming sequel, ‘Beetlejuice 2.’
Costume designer Colleen Atwood at “The Little Mermaid Enchanted Celebration” on September 15th. Photo credit: Dan Steinberg for Walt Disney Studios.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you take us behind the scenes and explain your process as a costume designer? When you come on to a project and read the script for the first time, where do you go from there?
Colleen Atwood: Well, I read the script and I talk to the director, in this case, Rob, and we talk about what he’s seeing for the movie. In this case, because the people that were building the environment, the art department had started quite a bit before me because of the time it takes to do all that. So I met with him in LA, and we met where the art department was beginning to build the world. So we met there, and he walked me through that. Then we talked about colors and ideas, and I told him I liked the ideas of Seven Sisters from the Seventh Seas, each one having a different fish for their character. As well as all my ideas of what I was thinking with King Triton, and we just kind of walk through it. But not the entire cast at that point in history is always in place at the beginning. But we knew it was Halle Bailey, and Rob knew who he wanted for the other parts, but they weren’t in place yet. So I started with her. I started figuring out the different worlds along with the costumes, not just for the main characters, but how the costumes at the castle looked, what the reflection of the costumes in the village is, so I had an overview of the whole movie. Then as I got characters, I could dial them into it, which is a good way to work, because you know where you’re going with it, in a less kind of random matter. Rob comes from theater, so that process of preparation is something he really understands, which is so advantageous to costume.
MF: You’ve worked with director Rob Marshall before, did that make the process of working on ‘The Little Mermaid’ a little easier because you have a shorthand with him and understand his tastes and what he might want?
CA: Yeah, there’s a lot of trust there between us. It’s fun always when you work with somebody to self-challenge, because you kind of know what they’re going to be like, and then you try to find something that you haven’t kind of plugged into before that could work too. So it’s kind of a parallel blessing, but it really is a good way to push yourself to another level as a designer, because you can get comfortable, but you want to be better. So that was kind of my challenge with him.
MF: Can you talk about the look of the mermaids and designing their costumes?
CA: Well, the actual costumes themselves, as far as the undersea costumes, were virtual. So I sat with a computer artist and designed them. I did tails that were the right scale so they had reference, and I made fabrics that looked like fish scales to get the colors and the textures right. But I really sat with one guy, and he and I did it together because I don’t have the skills to do digital design. But it was a whole other world for me. Then as we got real people into the facsimiles of the costumes, because we did bits, we realized things that were challenges, like we didn’t really want to do seashell bras on real people, because it always looks kind of hanky. So we ended up figuring it out, but making the transition between skin and scale was a big deal because it can look not beautiful, so you didn’t want them to be that, you want them to be beautiful. So we came up with the little fin things that kind of transition in between to separate it, and then kind of a glow on the skin that might be a scale, but you don’t really see scales all over the body. When you do digital design with a lot of dudes, they go in the creature direction real quick. So we got some really interesting first passes on stuff, but we really dialed all that down. I really wanted to keep also the idea of sisters in mind, but they were all within a younger, more youthful point of view in how they looked and what their body shapes were and all that.
MF: You’ve been a costume designer for almost 40 years and the industry has changed a lot over that time, particularly with technology and the way movies are made. Can you talk about how your approach to costuming has changed due to technology? Have you ever worked this closely with the VFX department on a project before?
CA: Well, I worked with VFX fairly closely on the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ movies because they were really early days, and we had a lot of challenges. In that case, I ended up making the real costumes because they were above ground, and then making them do different things to make the head look bigger and the body smaller and things like that. So that technology has evolved in a really different way. I did the ‘Fantastic Beast’ movies, which had a lot of that in it. So I’ve been paralleling the visual effects evolution since ‘Mars Attacks!’ It’s been a long time. So I’ve been parallel learning that as I go along, and learning the tricks to make it better for costume. That’s been a really fun challenge, and it’s pretty amazing, the stuff they’ve done to make fabrics look better, because it used to be really flat, and now it has more dimension. But I made actual fish scale fabric for them to reference so I could control how that would manifest itself digitally. There’s certain shadings and surface treatments and things like that that can make it look better. I think because I have done it before and seen it, that I’ve learned a lot, and it’s a learning curve. It really is.
CA: Can you talk about the cultural inspirations you used to create the costumes for the human world?
CA: Well, it was interesting in a very tricky area. I really took the reference of the time period of the castle. The time period of the castle was set in a sort of early 1800s vaguely, but no nail down date, so I sort of plugged in to 1830-1840 when people started coming to the Caribbean that weren’t from there, to settle and build so-called castles. But the big influence for me was the shapes that came from that period, but the materials came more from the land in which we were inhabiting, which wasn’t necessarily the case in real history at all. So I departed history very quickly, because I wanted the colors to be reflective of the ocean and the environment. So the castle, for me, was like dried coral and different corals with the faded colors and the textures of corals. So I kind of used the materials of the ocean to influence the costumes in their design. The men’s costumes there, I made all out of pale textured linen. In that period, they didn’t make clothes out of that stuff. So it was really fun to make the shapes of a period but in different materials, and create your own magical world in that way that people could kind of connect with. Then the village had a really festive, under the sea kind of coral flowing colors, and that kind of life in contrast to the elitist coral castle. So that kind of was how I pulled it together.
MF: Were you a fan of the original ‘The Little Mermaid,’ and did you use the animated movie as a reference for the costumes and look of the film?
CA: I was a fan, but not like my kids were fans. I was a little bit of an older person. I wouldn’t have a ‘Little Mermaid’ wedding. But Rob’s take on things, it’s always like a different journey with him. He totally changes everything up so well. But we did want to pay homage to the known entity of a character as beloved as ‘The Little Mermaid.’ So you don’t think, “Oh, I’m going to not do ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Why do that? It’s done.” Instead, we just embraced the colors, the energy of her, the red hair, the colors of the tail the lilac bought us and all that, but reinvented it in a way that was more human, more today and kind of youthful. In doing that with the reference of all the different fishes from the seas, I was kind of playing with the culture within the fish costumes, which was limited, you could only do a certain amount because of what they were, but you could definitely give a spontaneity in the placement of where the fins were, which could kind of relate to a samba skirt, or a kimono, or whatever that was. The Indian mermaid had a one shouldered one, and the Thai mermaid had a little bit of an Asian design to her costume. So it all was sort of related, but not in a big obvious way.
Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse in 1988’s ‘Beetlejuice.’
MF: Finally, I understand that you were working on ‘Beetlejuice 2’ with Tim Burton before the strikes shutdown production. Can you give us a little tease of the costumes fans can expect to see when that movie is eventually released?
CA: Well, as always, you can’t get away from the homage to the original. So there’s that, but there’s a whole next level and layer of fun costumes that are totally not tech costumes, but real, and all the things that go with that. Low tech as opposed to high-tech. So I think It’s going to be really fun for people to see. The art’s in the movie. Tim’s an artist first and foremost, and that art is really present in this ‘Beetlejuice.’ I think people are going to love it.
‘The Little Mermaid’ is available on Digital now, and will be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD September 19th.
‘The Little Mermaid’ is produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
The official synopsis for ‘The Little Mermaid’ is below:
“The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.”
(L to R) Jonah Hauer-King, Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy, Halle Bailey, Rob Marshall, Javier Bardem and Daveed Diggs attend the UK Premiere Of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 15, 2023 in London, England. Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney.
‘The Little Mermaid premiered at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023. The film was released domestically on May 26, 2023.
After auditioning hundreds of actors for the role of Ariel, Halle Bailey was cast in the lead role.
Director Rob Marshall recounts her audition,
“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I just thought she’s so deeply connected to what she was singing about. It’s so emotional. It’s so beautiful. And I thought, [laugh] Oh my gosh, we’ve been doing this for five minutes. Have we found Ariel? And we had.”
Landing this role was a dream come true for the actress, as Ariel was her favorite Disney princess growing up. Bailey’s powerhouse voice delivered an emotional rendition of ‘A Part Of Your World’ that brought audiences to tears. Her performance was a joy to watch as she captured the essence of Ariel – her curiosity about the human world and her drive to explore undiscovered places.
Ursula the Sea Witch is a fan-favorite Disney Villain, most notable for her song ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’. McCarthy’s performance as Ursula delighted critics and audience alike, calling her a “scene stealer”. She matched the villain’s attitude, voice, and laughter while using her comedic skills to make the role her own.
During the filming of the movie, McCarthy confessed that her feet never touched the ground which made her performance even more impressive.
“I slid down the clamshell occasionally, on my back, but I was never literally on my feet. We were either up in rigs or, you know, there were all different magical things. You know, if you were diving, it was one rig. If you were spinning, it was another. But no, never on the ground.”
Director Rob Marshal teams up with Award-winning composer Alan Menken, who worked on the original animated movie for the live-action adaptation to create new music for the film. Fan favorite songs such as ‘A Part of Your World’, ‘Under The Sea’, ‘Kiss The Girl’, and ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’ all made it into the movie. A few new songs were added as well, including ‘For The First Time’, ‘Wild Uncharted Waters’ and ‘The Scuttlebutt’.
‘For The First Time’ is performed by Halle Bailey after she receives her legs from the sea witch Ursula. How does she sing if Ursula has taken her voice? Think of the song as an internal monologue for Ariel. She is seeing the human world for the first time, and the song is paired with a montage of Ariel experiencing brand new things in the Above World.
‘Wild Uncharted Waters’ is sung by Jonah Hauer-King. While Prince Eric didn’t have a song in the original animated feature, the filmmakers felt that the prince needed a moment where he can talk (or sing) about his passion to be out in on the open sea. This ballad helped flush out Eric’s story and character.
Finally, ‘The Scuttlebutt’ is a song that was performance by both Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (‘Hamilton’, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’), this upbeat song and rap is about Scuttle overhearing the gossip of Prince Eric’s plan to propose.
Originally, there was a song for Javier Bardem’s King Triton as well but the song ultimately didn’t make the final cut.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on May 26th, 2023 and is currently playing in theaters. Be sure to check showtimes on Moviefone. below.
Watch the official trailers for ‘The Little Mermaid’ below:
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As this a Disney movie, it will end up on the studio’s streamer Disney+ once it’s ready for streaming. In the past, Disney has followed a 90-day theatrical window which means ‘The Little Mermaid’ may arrive on Disney+ by late August or early September.
(L to R) Jonah Hauer-King, Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy, Halle Bailey, Rob Marshall, Javier Bardem and Daveed Diggs attend the UK Premiere Of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 15, 2023 in London, England. Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney.
The official synopsis for ‘The Little Mermaid’ is:
“The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.”
The movie is directed by Rob Marshall, who has directed musical movies such as Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins Returns’, ‘Chicago’, and ‘Nine’. The film had its first premiere in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theater on May 8, 2023.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the virtual press conference for ‘The Little Mermaid’. In attendance were cast members Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, director Rob Marshall, producer John DeLuca, and Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken.
Here are 10 things we learned from ‘The Little Mermaid’ virtual press conference:
1. Director Rob Marshall Cried When Halle Sang At Her Audition
(L to R) Melissa McCarthy, Halle Bailey and director Rob Marshall at the London premiere of ‘The Little Mermaid.’
Adapting an animated classic like ‘The Little Mermaid’ is no easy task, as is finding the right actor to play Ariel. Rob Marshall and his team auditioned countless actors, but Bailey’s emotional performance stayed with him.
Producer John DeLuca recalls the moment they heard her sing ‘A Part Of Your World’:
John DeLuca: Well, Rob, when she first auditioned and sang the song for us, I turned to Rob and there were tears streaming down his face.
The director elaborates more on Bailey’s audition, and how she was the very first actor they saw for the role.
Rob Marshall: I mean, here’s the thing. The first actor we saw for this role was Halle. The first thing she did is she came in and sang for us. And she sang that song. She shut her eyes and started to sing the song. And I thought, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I just thought she’s so deeply connected to what she was singing about. It’s so emotional. It’s so beautiful. And I thought, [laugh] Oh my gosh, we’ve been doing this for five minutes. Have we found Ariel? And we had.”
Even though Marshall and his team saw tons of actors for the role after Bailey, that was the moment that she landed the role of Ariel,
Rob Marshall: But then we saw hundreds of other actors after that, and Halle kept coming back in. And we saw every ethnicity. We saw everybody. And she claimed the role for hers. That’s what happened.
2. ‘Under The Sea’ Was The Most Complex Number To Shoot
The award-winning song ‘Under The Sea’ is certainly the one fans will be looking forward to in the live-action adaptation. The upbeat Caribbean-inspired song sang by Sebastian, who is trying desperately to convince the land-curious mermaid how lively the sea is, filled with colorful sea creatures dancing to the tune.
Producer John DeLuca says this was the most complex number to shoot in the movie.
John DeLuca: And to conceive and shoot. And just, to have an idea of what we’re gonna do, and then how we were gonna do it. The logistics of that. I remember Rob and I kind of put it aside for a long time.
Rob Marshall: I know, it was so daunting. Because there’s one live actor. One live actor in this massive production number.
Marshall really wanted Ariel to sing in ‘Under The Sea’ and composer Alan Menken came up with the changes on the spot.
Alan Menken: Always at the spur of the moment.
Rob Marshall: Yes, that was the best. I mean, you know, we said, “Alan, we really need her to sing,” and he went into the piano and said, “How about this,” and, “How about this,” and – we tried it on Halle.
Alan Menken: It’s what I do. It’s what I live for.
3. The Cast Got To Record Together And In Person For The Movie
Jacob Tremblay, who voiced Flounder, talks about being able to rehearse with the cast prior to recording, and how recording in person made a difference for the voice work.
Jacob Tremblay: We were all together for quite some time in the studio in England. And we just got to know each other so well. And that definitely really helped with the voice work. Because I preferred it so much better than kind of being in a booth and especially ’cause of Covid. It would usually be on Zoom, but it was definitely a privilege that we all got to be together and we got to, you know, do our scenes together.
Awkwafina (who voiced Scuttle) chimes in about her experience working on the film
Awkwafina: I mean, definitely for me the first time I’ve ever read a scene with other actors. Usually, you know, you’re in the booth and a lot of the time the other actors are, you know, like the directors just read them with you. But we were all able to do it and yeah. It just all happened there. And there were other people in the room too. It was like pretty crazy. And that one day is where most of our performances came from.
4. Cast Says The Rehearsal Process Was Very Different Than Anything They’ve Done Before
Rob Marshall approached the movie from a theater point-of-view and the rehearsal process was important to the director. The cast mentioned that the process was so different from what they usually know in films.
Rob Marshall: I think it’s something I always do. I mean, you know, obviously I come from the theater. We all (referring to John DeLuca and Alan Menken) come from the theater. So there’s a process that I think you have to do. Musicals are kind of a hybrid in a funny way. Movie musicals are a hybrid of theater and film. Because you have to, you know, you can’t just walk in and start singing. You have to learn. Or the choreography. It’s like all part of it. I mean, I always feel that my job as a director is to protect the actors. Make them feel safe in a space where they can screw up and be terrible, and then get better. And not feel judged. I mean, that to me is the most important part of it. And so, it does feel small. It feels intimate. Because you’re creating. And you know what, film is very intimate.
5. Melissa McCarthy’s Feet Never Touched The Ground During Filming
Playing the sea witch Ursula had Melissa McCarthy spending most of her time on wires or a rig for the duration of filming.
Melissa McCarthy: I slid down the clamshell occasionally, on my back, but I was never literally on my feet. We were either up in rigs or, you know, there were all different magical things. You know, if you were diving, it was one rig. If you were spinning, it was another. But no, never on the ground.
Rob Marshall and John DeLuca remember back to this, and the massive team of stunt people who helped make this happen.
John DeLuca: Because then we would have to teach all the stunt people, the 10 to 20 stunt people that would take them through on these apparatus, and they had to know every line, every breath.
Rob Marshall: I mean, sometimes I would say, “action,” [the actor] would say two lines. And I’d say, “cut,” and then we’d put them on another apparatus, put them on wires or something and then go, “Action.” And then, one line, cut. Like, literally, it was like a mosaic.
6. Halle Bailey Talks How Playing Ariel Helped Her Find Herself
The actress opens up on playing her favorite childhood Disney Princess, and how the character inspires her in real life.
Halle Bailey: I tell people all the time I feel like Ariel truly has helped me find myself and like this young woman version of me, you know, because I, well, it’s been five years of my life now. From 18 to now being 23, so those are like, very intense like transformative years as you’re developing as a young woman. But I feel like especially these themes of the film and what she had to go through with her passions and drive, and speaking up for herself, and even though it
may be scary, she went for it. I feel like those things I really try to adopt and give to Halle now. So, she’s taught me so much, for sure.
7. New Songs For The Live-Action Adaptation
Alan Menken attends the UK Premiere Of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 15, 2023 in London, England. Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney.
Composer Alan Menken talks about creating new songs and finding the right place for them in the film.
Alan Menken: It’s a group process. Rob and John, David Magee, Lin-Manuel Miranda and me got together. Like first at your apartment, then at my studio. And we went through how the story’s being adapted by David, and how the structure is. And then where are the potential spots? So it’s simply as simple as that. And those decisions are made, first of all, by character, by moment, but also by sequence of a score, and what’s needed at a certain moment. So we chose the moment when Prince Eric, he’s been told, “Don’t go back out there, you can’t,” and he just thinks about this girl. And it’s a love song to her, and it’s a love song to the sea. And to his uncharted waters. So his life is ahead of him. So it ends up being a real important theme throughout the movie.
The composer talks more about collaborating with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Alan Menken: Then we had the first time she’s on land. And was so much fun, because I gave Lin a very sort of lilting tune and he said, “Can we give a kind of a bap-a-bap, mm-bop-bop.” So it’s a three-against-two kind of feel. Said, “Okay, let’s do that,” and then boom, the song where she’s so excited, everything is so new and so wonderful. And then [Prince Eric] doesn’t think it’s the girl when he realizes she can’t speak. And then she’s so, for the first time, heartbroken. And then the Scuttlebutt, which is just, that’s a surprise gift of him, ’cause I gave him this Caribbean tune. And Lin sort of did a rap over it that was so perfect. Used the music, but it had this rhythmic pulse to it. It was just pure Lin-Manuel Miranda.
8. Javier Bardem Originally Had A Song In The Film
A few members of the cast acknowledge that they don’t see themselves as singers but working with Rob Marshall and Alan Menken brought out the musicality in them, including Javier Bardem. Unfortunately, the song didn’t make it to the final version of the film.
Alan Menken: Javier sang a song that, it happens all the time in musicals, we didn’t need that particular spot for the film.
9. Daveed Diggs Says This Is The Coolest Thing He’s Ever Been A Part Of
Daveed Diggs attends the UK Premiere Of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 15, 2023 in London, England. Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney.
The actor, widely known for his role as Marquis La Lafyette in Broadway’s ‘Hamilton’ talks about his experience in making ‘The Little Mermaid’, and seeing it premiere on the big screen.
Daveed Diggs: We worked on it like it was a small thing. At least in that work session, it really felt like we were kind of doing, like, community theater. We were pushing boxes around, like, to make sets, you know what I’m saying? And we got in this groove where it was, like, that’s how you make art. We made something that we understood, that everybody could wrap their arms around, and that we really believed in and knew inside and out. And then so to show up when they’re shutting down the street and, like, the posters are huge, and then you watch the film and it’s massive, on this massive screen, and the world, it’s a whole world that I never saw at all, you know what I’m saying?
10. Jonah-Hauer King Talks His Favorite New Addition To The Original Story
The romance between Ariel and Prince Eric is an iconic one. Jonah-Hauer King talks about his favorite new additions to their love story.
Jonah Hauer-King: Friendship, I think. Disney romances are always, you know, they’re filled with that instinctive attraction to one another. We all wanna see that. But I think what was fun about this, and I think a lot of it came from our off-screen selves as well, was looking at Ariel and Eric as two people who were kindred spirits who felt a little bit restless, who felt like they were behind the four walls of their respective castles, and were very much looking outwards and not in. And I think what was nice about that was that it meant that their relationship feels really earnd. They both felt like they were teaching each other things. They were excited and fascinated by each other’s worlds although they didn’t actually know it until the end.
He elaborates more on the love story:
Jonah Hauer-King: I think it’s a really good message for what it means to be in love and what it means to be in a relationship is ultimately tied to friendship. That’s the fundamental thing of it. And that’s why it lasts, and that’s what makes it special. So, that was really fun to explore and it was easy ’cause, you know, [Halle’s] a riot, so we kinda got on fine.
‘The Little Mermaid’ will swim into in theaters on May 26, 2023.
‘The Little Mermaid’ is produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
Ariel (Halle Bailey), the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica’s ruler King Triton (Javier Bardem), is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck and falling in love with him, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress Eric. However, this ultimately places her life (and her father’s crown) in jeopardy.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King about their work on ‘The Little Mermaid,’ what audiences can expect from the new movie, shooting the underwater scenes, and working with the puppeteers.
(L to R) Jonah Hauer-King and Halle Bailey at the London premiere of ‘The Little Mermaid.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Bailey, Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy, as well as director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca.
Moviefone: To begin with, Halle, what would you say to moviegoers to prepare them for this live-action version of ‘The Little Mermaid?’
Halle Bailey: I would definitely say to moviegoers who are excited to see the film, be prepared for a fun, joyful, exciting, magical, emotional journey that we take you on in this film. Rob Marshall is a visionary and has done such a beautiful job with directing this film, and everyone has worked collectively so hard to just make everyone happy. We hope that they love it ultimately.
MF: Jonah, what would you say to moviegoers to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?
Jonah Hauer-King: Yeah, exactly that. It’s a huge, big epic adventure, but I think it’s really grounded in human stories, and mermaid stories, about what it means to relate to one another, and what it means to fall in love. I think it feels grounded in reality despite how big and epic the scale is.
MF: Halle, I understand that for some of your underwater scenes you actually did not perform them in water, but rather on wires without water. What was that process like for you?
HB: Yes, so it was really beautiful because I had kind of split time between the blue-screen work, which is what you see when we’re doing the underwater scenes and the dialogue, like me and Javier or me and Flounder and Sebastian, which was me harnessed in the air in a swimming position, simulating the iconic Ariel swim. Then when it gets to the shipwreck scenes or when I’m saving Eric, that was in water, in real water in the tank at Pinewood, which is this huge beautiful tank. So I feel like I had the best of both worlds and it was really cool for me because it was a lot of physicality, but I was able to just have fun with it, and we had so much fun.
MF: But Jonah, you were actually in the water for a lot of your scenes, how challenging were those sequences for you to shoot?
JHK: What was crazy though was that when we were in the water together, I could interact with water like a human would, which is fine. So when the storms go in, it’s okay, I can just be drowning and that’s all right. She had to look like she actually was a mermaid. So that was insane, but I think she pulled it off pretty well.
MF: Halle, which was more difficult for you, actually being in the water, or pretending to swim while on wires?
HB: The wires were a bit harder because it was a lot of core strength that you had to hold yourself up with. Then we had this beautiful stunt team that would hold my legs together basically, and then I would be kind of just suspended in the air on my side. So it was a lot of oblique work and trying not to look like I’m shaking while I’m doing the dialogue and singing. So I think that was maybe the more difficult. Whereas the water, you can just let it take you and it’d be fine.
MF: Finally, Halle, I also understand that characters like Scuttle, Flounder and Sebastian were actually performed by puppeteers on set. What was it like for you performing with the puppeteers?
HB: Yes, so we had a really awesome preparation period. Rob Marshall is a perfectionist, and he’s prepared. So before we actually started filming, we had three months of rehearsals with the cast, getting to know each other, bonding, and getting that connection that ultimately we needed to be able to play with these characters. We had already rehearsed a lot with Jacob, Daveed, and Awkwafina. So by the time it got to actually filming for me, they were no longer on set, but I would hear them in my ears. We had already built that connection and bond, and I was left with these amazing puppeteers, so they would kind of hold them in place for my eye-line before we started shooting. Then when we had to film, they took them away and I would literally just be talking to nothing, talking to air, looking like a crazy person before they’re added it in after. Then when it was added after, it’s like, “Okay, great.” It looks like I’m actually talking to them and they’re actually there.
(L to R) Jonah Hauer-King and Halle Bailey star in ‘The Little Mermaid.’
‘The Little Mermaid’ is produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
Get ready for life under the sea in the upcoming Disney live-action adaptation of ‘The Little Mermaid’, splashing into theaters on May 26th. Directed by Rob Marshall, the film is adapted from the 1989 animated feature of the same name.
The story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ follows the youngest of King Triton’s daughters – Ariel. With a thirst for adventure and an unwavering curiosity about the Above World, Ariel longs to learn more about humans. When she finally breaks the surface, she sees and falls in love with Prince Eric. Ariel seeks out sea witch Ursula to strike a deal to live as a human – exchanging her golden voice for legs.
The 1989 animated feature film is a part of the Disney Renaissance era, best known for its vibrant musical films such as ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘The Lion King’. The original is beloved amongst Disney fans who know this movie (and all of its songs) forward and backward. Reimaging a classic like ‘The Little Mermaid’ is no easy task, yet director Rob Marshall has stepped up to the plate and delivered a live-action version that is faithful to the original while adding unique spins to the story. Halle Bailey proves to be the perfect choice as the lead, with her angelic voice that captured Ariel’s essence in her rendition of ‘A Part Of Your World’.
The biggest challenge for any Disney live-action adaptation is transforming the iconic animation into live-action with the help of CGI and special effects. Underwater scenes are never easy to do, and at times the effects looked disjointed and rough. Regardless, it doesn’t take away from the charm of the movie and with a solid performance from the cast, ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a joy to watch.
With any live-action adaptation, audiences will be looking for certain scenes and moments from the original animated film. Rob Marshall’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ kept many of the fan-favorite moments such as Ariel’s iconic hair flip as she breaks the surface after receiving her legs from Ursula. But what changes did they make? The most obvious change is the looks of Ariel’s sidekick trio: Flounder, Sebastian, and Scuttle. As it is a live-action adaptation, it wouldn’t have made sense to make these characters look exactly like the cartoon. Instead, the film’s photo-realistic version depicted Flounder as a tropical yellow fish with dark blue strips, Sebastian as a ghost crab, and Scuttle as a Northern Gannet instead of a seagull.
Another change from the animated is the addition of Queen Selina – Prince Eric’s mother played by actress Noma Dumezweni (‘Mary Poppins Returns’). Having her in the film was a welcoming change, giving a lot more layers to Prince Eric’s storyline and fleshing out the Above World more than the animated movie did. Dumezweni is reunited with Rob Marshall and producer Jon DeLuca on ‘The Little Mermaid’ as she previously worked with the duo on ‘Mary Poppins Returns’.
King Triton’s concert from the original animated was not featured in the live-action version, and while this film does highlight Ariel’s Mer-sisters in a different way, the concert would have given the audience a closer look at Ariel’s siren voice – which King Triton eludes in the film that it contains magical properties such as healing. This is not to say Ariel uses her voice to affect someone’s decisions or moods. Additionally, the concert would have given more life to the underwater kingdom by showing other merfolk and architecture, which was sorely missing from the film.
Another fan-favorite scene that did not make it into the live-action version is one that takes place in the castle’s kitchen with Chef Louis who chases Sebastian around the kitchen while preparing a meal for Prince Eric, Grimsby, and Ariel. It was rumored that Lin-Manuel Miranda may have played the part of the Chef, and it would have been fun to hear his rendition of ‘Les Poissons’
There are a few new songs added as well, including a solo number for Prince Eric. Ariel also has a brand new song that will have you tapping your feet. The overall story and pacing of the movie match the original, the changes made it so that this was not just another shot-for-shot movie.
Halle Bailey is no stranger to the spotlight. She began acting at the age of 3 and launched a YouTube channel with her sister Chloe at the age of 11. Their covers of ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ and ‘Pretty Hurts’ went viral, propelling the sisters onto the road of stardom. Later, the sisters were signed to Parkwood Entertainment management company, which is owned by Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé Knowles.
Bailey was the first actress to audition for the role of Ariel. She sang ‘A Part of Your World’ for her audition, and director Rob Marshall was left in tears by her performance. It’s easy to see how Marshall felt so emotional during her audition. Bailey’s rendition of the song made many in the audience feel overcome with emotion, and sniffles (and cheering) were heard all over the theater.
She captured the essence of Ariel – her passion and curiosity of the human world, her longing to be heard and be independent, and how much love and kindness she had to give. Bailey gave it all she got and is easy to see why she was the best choice to play Ariel.
The sea witch Ursula has become an iconic Disney villain. The bigger-than-life role falls on the shoulders of Melissa McCarthy who had the audience wrapped around her tentacles. Her performance was big and theatrical, and she delivered ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’ with so much flair it was a joy to watch. While she delivered some intense (and at times unhinged) moments, she also used her comedic ability to break up the tension, causing the audience to burst into laughter. All eyes were on Ursula whenever she was on the screen.
Final Thoughts
‘The Little Mermaid’ may just be the best Disney live-action adaptation to date. Halle Bailey shines as Ariel. The original songs from the animated sounded great with performances from Bailey, Diggs, and McCarthy. Daveed Digg’s Sebastion and Awkwafina’s Scuttle are fantastic as a comedic duo.
It was great to see Prince Eric have more of a backstory and substance than just a typical Disney Prince treatment. The special effects and CGI were rough in parts, and the world-building of the underworld world left much to be desired but the performances and story outweigh those issues. If you loved ‘The Little Mermaid’ growing up, you will have fun with this one.
‘The Little Mermaid’ is produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
Walt Disney Studios kicked off the first day of D23 Expo 2022 in style today with tons of advance looks at what the House of Mouse has in store for fans in the coming days, months, and years. You can watch Moviefone‘s exclusive backstage interviews by clicking on the video player above.
The first D23 Expo in three years began with the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, Sean Bailey, revealing the first-ever footage from ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
Bailey was joined by the wacky Sanderson Sisters themselves – stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – who appeared via video to show how their characters are back for the first time since 1993 for more soul-stealing Halloween action.
Battling them this time around are aspiring witch Becca (Whitney Peak) and magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson).
But the audience’s biggest applause went to the original film’s Billy Butcherson (‘The Shape of Water’s Doug Jones) upon his return from the grave. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ hits Disney+ on September 30th. The trailer is in the video player above.
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Next up on the panel was another eagerly anticipated sequel, ‘Disenchanted’. Returning stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden took the stage, alongside Maya Rudolph, the film’s new villain. ‘Disenchanted’ finds Adams’ Giselle and hubby Dempsey moving to the suburbs with their infant and teenage children.
“I was a huge fan of the original,” said Rudolph. “I can’t believe I got to be part of this… It’s not easy being mean to Amy Adams.” The new teaser trailer for the sequel is in the video player above.
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As far as live-action remakes of Disney animated classics go, ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ was the first on deck today: with star Jude Law (Captain Hook) flanked by newcomers Alexander Molony (Peter Pan), Ever Gabo Anderson (Wendy), and Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Tiger Lily).
Expect more empowered female characters this time around, including at least one Lost Girl among Peter’s Lost Boys.
“Disney has worked very hard to give her more depth and a lot more character,” said Anderson of Wendy. “She and Peter are equals in this film.”
Law added that Hook and Pan’s prior relationship is also fleshed out. “We got to mine their back story a little bit more. You get to understand their past,” he said, hinting that the two were once friends.
“I got to make sure all the little details, all the Easter eggs are there. Because I’m a nerd,” confessed Simien. He then joined another of the film’s stars – scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis – in a Doom Buggy rolling across the D23 Expo stage.
Few Disney films are so beloved as 1994’s ‘The Lion King’. And fans will get more of the film’s animal kingdom in the 2024 prequel ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’.
Director Barry Jenkins appeared to explain how “Mufasa is the origin story of one of the greatest kings of the Pride Land… It’s the real story of how Mufasa found his place in the circle of life. What you learn is that Mufasa is great because of the family and the friends he has with him.”
Of course Disney Studios wouldn’t exist without its very first animated classic, 1937’s ‘Snow White’.
Director Marc Webb is tackling the live-action 2024 remake, featuring Gal Gadot as the Wicked Queen and Rachel Zegler as its eponymous heroine. The two were touched by the warm response they received as they presented a first look at their characters.
“Just your reaction means the world to us,” said Gadot.
A visibly moved Zegler explained that, “Snow White is the girl you remember, but she’s definitely made for the modern age,” stating the film redefines what it means to be the fairest of them all.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot at Disney D23 Expo 2022 Getty Images
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While ‘Snow White’ is Disney’s first animated feature, 1989’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ is responsible for the studio’s renaissance. As well as its renewed dedication to musicals, as Rob Marshall, director of May 2023’s live-action adaptation, reminded fans today.
“It was very important for us to honor the original. We went to Alan Menken, who was divine to work with, and also our dear friend Lin-Manuel Miranda. They had never worked together before… There are four new songs. We still retain the beauty of the original score, written by the late great Howard Ashman as well.”
Fans were treated to the film’s entire “Part of Your World” number, featuring a note-perfect Halle Bailey, who appeared on stage with Marshall.
“Three days of filming ‘Part of Your World,’” said Bailey, “that was the most beautiful experience of my life. Just getting to sing a song I’ve loved since I was a child was so exciting.”
“The camera loves you,” Marshall told Bailey. “But it’s more than that. [It] loves what’s inside. [It] loves what you bring.”
The two then unveiled a teaser that recalled ‘Finding Nemo’ in the color and detail of its underwater world. You can find a teaser version of the clip in the video player at the top of the page.
It was then time for Pixar Animation Studios’ turn in the spotlight, with chief creative officer Pete Docter introducing next summer’s ‘Elemental’.
Director Peter Sohn spoke of how the film’s Element City was inspired by the culturally mixed New York of his childhood. Footage shown depicted the star-crossed romance of its fire-based heroine Ember (Leah Lewis) and her watery boyfriend Wade (Mamoudou Athie).
Pixar also unveiled its first original long-form series in the form of ‘Win or Lose’, each episode of which follows the perspective of a different character connected to a co-ed softball team, the Pickles.
With this year’s ‘Lightyear’, Pixar returned to the science fiction of ‘Wall-E’. Expect more in this vein soon, starting with ‘Elio’.
Announced today at D23 with star America Ferrera on stage, the film’s title character is an 11-year-old boy who doesn’t feel like he fits in his world. His mom (Ferrera) runs a top-secret military project, which inadvertently results in Elio making first contact with alien life and becoming our planet’s ambassador to the rest of the universe. It’s due out in spring 2024.
Last but by no means least on the Pixar slate – ‘Inside Out’ star Amy Poehler made a surprise appearance alongside Docter to announce ‘Inside Out 2’.
“Joy and the emotions are back for an all new adventure inside Riley’s head,” said a fittingly ebullient Poehler. “Only this time she’s a teenager!”
New emotions will also appear in the film, as Kelsey Mann takes over the directing chores from Docter, with Meg LeFauve returning to write the summer 2024 release.
To cap off the panel, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer (and Oscar-winning ‘Frozen’ director) Jennifer Lee greeted the D23 Expo audience to show what’s in store for the studio’s 100th anniversary next year.
But first, Disney’s fan-favorite 2016 ‘Zootopia’ will get a spin-off series this November on Disney+. And attendees got an advance look at the aptly titled ‘Zootopia+’, consisting of six short ‘Zootopia’-style spoofs of everything from ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ to ‘The Godfather Part II’.
Perhaps Disney’s most unique offering at the Expo was ‘Iwaju’. Coming this year to Disney+, it finds the animation studio partnering for the first time in its long history with an overseas animation studio – Africa’s Kugali. Its three founders appeared today, describing their Afrofuturism fable and its characters as a love letter to their hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
More sci-fi arrived with a new look at ‘Strange World’, described by Lee as “a film about family, legacy, and what we leave behind for the generations that follow.” Director Don Hall explained how the film chronicles three generations coming together on an alien planet in order to save their world.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu introduced a rip-snorting clip of an exciting chase through ‘Strange World’s creature-packed planet.
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The Disney Animation segment, and indeed entire panel, concluded with the revelation of the studio’s 100th anniversary feature film – ‘Wish’. The tale of the star upon which so many Disney characters have wished throughout the past century, ‘Wish’ is co-directed by the attending team of Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Buck, who co-wrote the film with Lee, explained how ‘Wish’ explores a kingdom of wishes, in which wishes can literally come true. Offering a lush, animated watercolor style coupled with CG animation, it stars newly minted Oscar winner Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old Asha, who pleas to the heavens for help, and gets an actual star from the sky, named Star, who communicates through pantomime.
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Disney “good luck charm,” actor Alan Tudyk appeared with footage of his character, a goat named Valentino who wishes to communicate with people. Finally, DeBose saw fans off with a sizzling live performance of “More for Us,” one of the film’s songs by Grammy winner Julia Michaels.
Jon Batiste, Alan Ferguson, and Alex P. Willson accept the Best Music Video award for Freedom onstage during the 64th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony at MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images For The Recording Academy.
Jon Batiste, best known as a musician and the bandleader/musical director of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ is making strides on the acting front. He’s joining the already star-studded cast of movie musical adaptation ‘The Color Purple’.
The film, which represents the next stage of the story – originated with Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel, which is set in Georgia, 1909. With an abusive father, the only person who 14-year-old Celie cares for and loves is her younger sister Nettie. Then Celie is married off to Albert Johnson, a brutal, uncaring man. After an incident between Nettie and Albert, Albert bans Nettie from his property and it appears that Celie may never see her again.
Steven Spielberg directed an Oscar-nominated movie adaptation that saw theaters in 1985. That, in turn led to a musical adaptation that opened in 2005, running until 2008 and earning 11 Tony Award nominations. It was revived in 2015 to even more success, including two Tony wins. It has since been produced in several countries and launched various tours.
All that acclaim means that a movie musical was all but inevitable. Spielberg is a producer alongside Oprah Winfrey (who appeared in the original film and earned one of its Oscar nominations) and musical legend Quincy Jones. Blitz Bazawule, who directed Beyoncé’s visual album ‘Black Is King’ is calling the shots, working from a script by ‘The Chi’s Marcus Gardley.
Drawing from both the novel and the movie, the screen musical will combine both elements.
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Batiste will portray Grady, husband to Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). The debonair, sweet-talking piano man is described as “the epitome of charm and eloquence.”
‘The Color Purple’ is now shooting and will be in theaters on December 23, 2023.
It’s been a successful year for Batiste so far – he scored five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. And ‘The Color Purple’ isn’t his first experience with movies, as he already has an Oscar on his shelf thanks to working on the score for Pixar’s ‘Soul’. Winning alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Batiste is only the second African American composer in history to win the trophy.
Freeform has a message for “the Poor, Unfortunate Souls” out there.
The network spoke out on Sunday in defense of Disney’s newly-minted “Little Mermaid” star Halle Bailey after a wave of online criticism infiltrated the celebration of the news that she had been cast as Ariel. In an Instagram post, Freeform had strong words for the #NotMyAriel types and made it clear that there’s no reason the upcoming live-action remake’s titular mermaid has to “look like the cartoon one.”
Freeform’s statement in defense of Bailey smacks down the logic holes in the complaints and describes the “Grown-ish” actress as “incredible, sensational, highly talented, [and] gorgeous.” It reminds everyone that “The Little Mermaid” is fictional, so its characters don’t have to look any particular way. Finally, it ends with something for the people who are still stuck on how Bailey looks to reflect on — namely, what their opposition to her casting says about them.
Here’s the full letter directed to “the Poor, Unfortunate Souls”:
Yes. The original author of ‘The Little Mermaid’ was Danish. Ariel…is a mermaid. She lives in an underwater kingdom in international waters and can legit swim wherever she wants (even though that often upsets King Triton, absolute zaddy). But for the sake of argument, let’s say that Ariel, too, is Danish. Danish mermaids can be black because Danish *people* can be black. Ariel can sneak up to the surface at any time with her pals Scuttle and the *ahem* Jamaican crab Sebastian (sorry, Flounder!) and keep that bronze base tight. Back Danish people, and thus mer-folk, can also *genetically* (!!!) have red hair. But spoiler alert – bring it back to the top – the character of Ariel is a work of fiction. So after all this is said and done, and you still cannot get past the idea that choosing the increidble, sensational, highly-talented, gorgeous Halle Bailey is anything other than the INSPIRED casting that it is because she “doesn’t look like the cartoon one”, oh boy, do I have some news for you…about you.
The 19-year-old singer/actress has landed the lead role of Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.”
Bailey is half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, along with her older sister. They first rose to fame via YouTube covers of Beyoncé and were eventually discovered by the superstar singer and her record label. They went on to open for Beyoncé on her “Lemonade” tour.
Halle and her sister have appeared in supporting roles on the Freeform comedy series “Grown-ish,” but “Little Mermaid” will mark Halle’s feature film debut.
The remake will incorporate the iconic songs from the 1989 animated classic — such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl” — as well as new music from original composer Alan Menken and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In a statement, director Rob Marshall said, “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.”
