Halle Bailey opens up about 'Little Mermaid' casting backlash

Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY Wed, April 8, 2026 at 5:39 PM UTC

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"Little Mermaid" star Halle Bailey was unfazed by the lack of princess treatment surrounding her Disney debut.

Despite the barrage of criticism and online negativity that ensued shortly after Bailey was cast and continued through the May 2023 release of the film, the actress and singer still considers it a "beautiful experience."

Some people took issue with Bailey being cast in the role, noting that Ariel was originally portrayed as a White female with bright red hair, and remarked that the live-action remake should follow suit. Others praised the decision to cast Bailey as Ariel.

Halle Bailey attends the 57th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Feb. 28, 2026.

"I feel like it taught me to listen to myself and the good voices inside," Bailey said in an April 5 interview with The Independent. "I learnt how to block out the noise.”

It helped that Disney, along with "Snow White" actress Rachel Zegler, was supportive of her, as she, a locs-wearing Princess Ariel, weathered the rough seas, the "angel" singer remarked.

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Zendaya and Ariana Grande, too, extended their love and support from afar, Bailey added during the interview.

"As women, I think we form a little protective bubble around each other, especially when we see a peer going through lots of opinions," she told the British outlet "... Sometimes the opinions of people can muddy your own thoughts. So, it’s special to have a community who's there to say, 'You're amazing. We're here for you.'"

Halle Bailey found a way to cope

Beyoncé's mentee eventually found a way to cope, telling The Independent she treated the experience like an "experiment."

Actress and singer Halle Bailey seen at a special screening of "You, Me & Tuscany" in London, England on March 23, 2026.

"It was actually freeing to be in the middle of this conversation where so many different opinions were coming in, and they were so opposite from one another," Bailey told the news organization. "I felt like I was watching myself inside a cup, seeing how people react to it."

Bailey was proud to play a new generation's Princess Ariel, a role she said was "very impactful to the little girl in me" and that it was cool for her son to "see that is really cool."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Halle Bailey learned how to 'block out' noise after Ariel casting

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