Halle Bailey reflects on weathering racist “Little Mermaid” backlash: 'I learned how to block out the noise'
Halle Bailey reflects on weathering racist “Little Mermaid” backlash: 'I learned how to block out the noise'
Mekishana PierreTue, April 7, 2026 at 9:55 PM UTC
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Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney's live-action 'The Little Mermaid'Credit: Courtesy of Disney
Halle Bailey has come a long way since her dip in the ocean as Ariel in Disney's live-action/CG-animated The Little Mermaid. But she'll never forget the valuable lesson she learned during her Hollywood breakout's less-than-stellar initial reception.
In a new interview with The Independent, the singer and You, Me & Tuscany star described her time as a Disney princess as a "beautiful experience."
"I feel like it taught me to listen to myself and the good voices inside," she added. "I learned how to block out the noise."
Although Bailey didn't go into specifics in the interview, most of the "noise" that sprung up after her casting was made by racists crawling out of the woodwork to complain about their fictional redhead going "woke."
Halle Bailey attends 'The Little Mermaid' post premiere reception on May 15, 2023Credit: Dave Benett/Getty
Despite these objections, the actress told The Independent that she found her way to deal with the backlash and embrace the role. "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 said. For all the #NotMyAriel posts flooding social media at the time, there were also videos posted by Black parents capturing their children's reaction to seeing Bailey's Ariel for the first time.
"I felt like I was watching myself inside a cup, seeing how people react to it," she added.
Bailey noted that her level-headedness came from being in the spotlight since she was a child, first garnering attention alongside her older sister as the Beyoncé-blessed musical duo Chloe x Halle. "Growing up in the industry can really develop your sense of self, and for me, it keeps me grounded in a way," she said.
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Halle Bailey as Ariel and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric in Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'Credit: Giles Keyte/Disney Enterprises, Inc.
"I love feeling small, realizing that the world is so big and beautiful and I'm just a tiny, tiny part of it," she continued. "The fact I'm here is a blessing, and I'm grateful [to be doing music and acting], but at the same time, this is not what matters in life. What matters is keeping our feet on the ground, and holding the people we love."
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It didn't hurt that her costars and director had her back amid the Little Mermaid uproar, as did animated Ariel Jodi Benson and Ariana Grande. She also received support from Zendaya and Rachel Zegler, who've faced similar backlash after being cast in roles traditionally played by white actresses.
"As women, I think we form a little protective bubble around each other, especially when we see a peer going through lots of opinions. Rachel was definitely one of those people. I love her," Bailey told The Independent. "We all understand what a vulnerable place it is to be, and at the end of the day, we are young women... we're self-conscious... we're insecure."
Zendaya; Halle Bailey; Rachel ZeglerCredit: Aurore Marechal/Getty; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Taylor Hill/Getty
She went on, saying, "I'm insecure at times, and 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.'"
In the end, Bailey wouldn't trade her time under the sea for anything. She said that playing Ariel was "very impactful to the little girl in me... also I have a son, so for him to see that is really cool. Whenever he sees a mermaid, he goes 'Mommy, mommy!'"
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
