The Little Mermaid (Live-Action)

[disneyprincess11]

Halle Bailey is the first to be confirmed by Disney!

https://d23.com/halle-bailey-cast-ariel ... e-mermaid/

[rodrigo_ca]

I still don't want the soundtrack of the little mermaid changed. It has a particular sound and it should stay that way.

Besides, in the other forums they see right through these decisions. they're not dense, And considering they're actual minorities, as in actual Latinos who live in Latin America and speak Spanish, I think their opinions are more valid than the ones from users of this website and other hellsites like Tumblr or twitter, who are privileged white Americans. In consideration, they liked a lot Coco and Moana. They just don't want to see the films they grew up liking "changed" in a way they feel Disney trying hard to pander to them, when they already liked those movies in their original forms. Lin Manuel Miranda is a "who?" right where they live, he's only really popular in the USA and Europe, They don't like the idea that their original Ariel, whom they liked a lot, was "bad" and that now they should like the one that "resembles them physically". It's patronizing. I'm a minority and saying I should prefer somebody like Moana over the white Belle is very patronizing and diminishes my interests and thoughts just down to my skin color. Shallow.

Thank you for speaking on behalf of the people of Latin America, but can you please not? Thanks

[Sotiris]

Do you guys think having a Black Ariel will hurt the film's box office potential? It'd be a shame if it's the only remake of the fab4 that's not a hit. Especially since its Broadway adaptation was also the only one that wasn't a success.

[Disney's Divinity]

I think it'll still be a hit. Probably the size of Maleficent, not TJB, Aladdin, B&tB, or TLK. The Broadway show and now the remake seem to highlight Disney's misunderstanding of the TLM property. Maybe when it's re-made again in 10 years, they'll get it right.

[nomad2010]

Do you guys think having a Black Ariel will hurt the film's box office potential? It'd be a shame if it's the only remake of the fab4 that's not a hit. Especially since its Broadway adaptation was also the only one that wasn't a success.

Black Panther was a phenomenon, this will undoubtedly be a celebration film, and I think it’ll be really exciting to see the reactions from people.

I’m really hoping that they are sticking to Spain for the above sea location and get a Spanish actor for Eric. We haven’t really seen Spain represented in these before, whereas Latin America we have. I think it could be something special.

[MrXemnas1992]

...and in come the waves of obnoxious celebratory Twitter and Tumblr spam.

Like i said long ago, Ariel's my favorite Disney princess and i'd be super critical no matter who got cast as her [i want to see Ariel come to life, not an actress playing a character]...i think i'm just going to keep my yap shut. I don't want people mistaking my "finicky disney fan pickiness" for racism.

I was talking about this with someone and they made a good point that it seems like a very cynical corporate decision for the publicity of casting a POC in the role.

Disney never even considered any non-Black actresses. It seems they were dead-set on a Black Ariel from the start which is unusual for them. None of the leads in previous live-action remakes were race-bend so why I wonder why Disney wanted to do this on this particular project.

You're right. Belle looks like Belle. Aladdin and Jasmine look like Aladdin and Jasmine. Cinderella looks like Cinderella and Mowgli like Mowgli. Not Ariel though. I put it on Miranda. As soon as he came on, he acted like this was HIS movie lock, stock, and barrel. I can't f-ing stand him. At least I can be grateful it's not Zendaya, thank God, and that Halle is alright.

If that's the case, I'd lose a lot of respect for Miranda. If anything, it's Howard Ashman's movie and legacy....blegh.


...so wait, Awkwafina as Scuttle? They're genderbending Scuttle?

I mean, I love Awkwafina...but as Scuttle? O__o ...not David Tennent, Alan Tudyk, Patton Oswalt, Chris Rock...somebody like that?


OH FFS, MELISSA MCCARTHY IS URSULA?!??! what happened to Harvey Fierstein or Tituss Burgess?!?! ugh, terrible terrible casting choice.


...how much do you want to bet Miranda is going to cast himself as Sebastian? >_>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lez_WdX7Oc

EDIT: my friends are laughing at me right now. Because they were mad at the other disney remakes but i wasn't, and now they're like "now you know how we felt" xD

[disneyprincess11]

Ugh, it was almost Hailey Kilgore. I saw her in Once on This Island (saw the first preview!) and she was phenomenal. Guess Disney prefer bigger names over talent for some reason

https://twitter.com/skylerhxc/status/11 ... 40032?s=21

[Sotiris]

Ugh, it was almost Hailey Kilgore. I saw her in Once on This Island (saw the first preview!) and she was phenomenal. Guess Disney prefer bigger names over talent for some reason.

Oh, I love Hailey! It's such a shame she wasn't cast. She's more suitable for Ariel than Halle, in my opinion.

[MrXemnas1992]

Seems like they did indeed only want a black ariel for this movie. Do we know anybody else besides Zendaya who was considered?

[Sotiris]

Seems like they did indeed only want a black ariel for this movie. Do we know anybody else besides Zendaya who was considered?

Keke Palmer was also considered.

[UmbrellaFish]

Besides, in the other forums they see right through these decisions. they're not dense, And considering they're actual minorities, as in actual Latinos who live in Latin America and speak Spanish, I think their opinions are more valid than the ones from users of this website and other hellsites like Tumblr or twitter, who are privileged white Americans. In consideration, they liked a lot Coco and Moana. They just don't want to see the films they grew up liking "changed" in a way they feel Disney trying hard to pander to them, when they already liked those movies in their original forms. Lin Manuel Miranda is a "who?" right where they live, he's only really popular in the USA and Europe, They don't like the idea that their original Ariel, whom they liked a lot, was "bad" and that now they should like the one that "resembles them physically". It's patronizing. I'm a minority and saying I should prefer somebody like Moana over the white Belle is very patronizing and diminishes my interests and thoughts just down to my skin color. Shallow.

You bring up a valid point. Similar attempts to capitalize on diverse and racial or gender swapped casts of famous IP’s have been accused of pandering. It is frustrating sometimes to see studios unwilling to explore new stories with minorities in the lead roles, instead trying to place women and people of color into stories originally told by and/or about white men. I was unaware that anybody was made to feel bad or as though they should only like, or most prefer, the princess or character who matches their skin tone. That is an unfortunate phenomenon, and of course I would in no advocate such a backwards way of thinking. But I don’t think any of that negates the real enthusiasm some underrepresented people have for seeing people who look like them in media— even if it is in the form of a character previously established as white— and I don’t see any real harm in this change at all.

Disney never even considered any non-Black actresses. It seems they were dead-set on a Black Ariel from the start which is unusual for them. None of the leads in previous live-action remakes were race-bend so why I wonder why Disney wanted to do this on this particular project.

You're right. Belle looks like Belle. Aladdin and Jasmine look like Aladdin and Jasmine. Cinderella looks like Cinderella and Mowgli like Mowgli. Not Ariel though.

I don’t really think that is true. They have the same skin color and shade of hair (even that’s debatable in Cinderella’s case), but Emma Watson, Lily James, and Naomi Scott don’t really resemble Belle, Cinderella, or Jasmine in any substantial way. And Mena Massoud is a lot more mature looking than the boyish Aladdin— he has (very sexy) stubble half the movie! They are all attractive people, but would probably be turned away by the look alike casting at any of the Disney theme parks. And none of them were costumed particularly faithfully to their animated counterparts, either— more “evocatively.” And you didn’t bring this up but I will— many of these characters don’t even sound anything like the characters they’re based on. One of my favorite aspects of Disney movies is that they were unafraid to cast their fairy tale leads with American actors using American accents— this during a time when period pieces were always cast with actors using (often equally time period inaccurate) British RP and Mid-Atlantic accents. Does it bother you that Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Lily James, and Richard Madden don’t sound anything like the original characters?

Do you guys think having a Black Ariel will hurt the film's box office potential? It'd be a shame if it's the only remake of the fab4 that's not a hit. Especially since its Broadway adaptation was also the only one that wasn't a success.

I know it was once an accepted truism of the box office that a woman or person of color could not headline a movie to financial success, but I feel as though that idea has thankfully been pretty firmly dismantled. Foregoing any as yet unseeable obstacles like a bad release date or a troubled production that turns out a bad product, I think the movie will be a huge box office success on par with the other live action remakes. It has a lot of things already going for it— the nostalgia of the original, star casting in the forms of established draw Melissa McCarthy and rising star Awkwafina, new music by the equally beloved (well, maybe not here anyway) Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and one of the most capable movie musical directors in the business. Not to mention, there is always the possibility Halle Bailey will be very impressive and become a draw in her own right. Disney will have to try very hard for this film to fail.

[ChrisLyne]

I'm not familiar with her (or any of the other names that were apparently in the running besides Zendaya) but after a quick YouTube search she definitely has a good voice which is a major positive. I'm happy they went with someone relatively young, and I love that they went with someone pretty much unknown rather than a big name. That says they picked her because she was best for the role (like Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott) rather than because her name would be a box office draw. All I've wanted for Ariel was an unknown who could sing, so I'm happy with the news. Curious to see if she keeps her natural hair colour or if they keep Ariel's iconic red for the movie.


It is interesting that all of the shortlisted Ariel's were black. My guess is that the film is being set in the Caribbean, fitting in with Sebastian and the musical flavour Howard Ashman gave the film. And now I'm just crossing all my fingers and toes that we get Norm Lewis as King Triton. I know most people weren't the fondest of the stage show but I loved it, and honestly I'd listen to Norm Lewis singing the phone book.

[Disney's Divinity]

Seems like they did indeed only want a black ariel for this movie. Do we know anybody else besides Zendaya who was considered?

So they never even considered a Latina Ariel or an Asian Ariel! RACISTS!!!! I guess Asian actors are only good enough to play seagulls in Disney's eyes.

[MrXemnas1992]

Halle Bailey CAN sing. So I'm okay with her in the role, tbh. Not thrilled, but content.

Now Melissa McCarthy as Ursula..no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.

[unprincess]

you know, I would have liked a white Ariel too b/c, well, Ariel's design is just so so iconic. But whatever, Ill get over it. I'm sure little black girls and their moms will be thrilled.

btw, why is it considered ok to race bend a white character but offensive to whitewash minority characters? this isn't mocking, Im really curious... is it because of a sense of payback that's owed? Minorities have been underrepresented for decades in the media, so now the white folk need to bite their lip, shut up, and let them have their time to shine even if it means allowing them to change their own white mythology and folklore? I mean I get it... but i cant help but feel that there's a sort of hypocrisy to it.

[Disney's Divinity]

I think the case of the casting is the same for both Bailey and McCarthy--meh. Neither of them is a perfect cast, just better than the bottom of the barrel that almost was that we were spared. McCarthy isn't creepy, sexual, or old enough for Ursula and Bailey looks nothing like Ariel. Like I said, I can't speak to her acting abilities (yet).

btw, why is it considered ok to race bend a white character but offensive to whitewash minority characters?

That’s something I pointed out months ago. Could you just imagine the outrage over Mulan, Tiana or Moana being played by a pale white girl? And none of them have an iconic hairdo or hair color they're known for like with Ariel either.

[Old Fish Tale]

Could you just imagine the outrage over Mulan, Tiana or Moana being played by a pale white girl?

Those characters were defined by their race and culture. Ariel wasn't. If you can't see the difference...

[MrXemnas1992]

you know, I would have liked a white Ariel too b/c, well, Ariel's design is just so so iconic. But whatever, Ill get over it. I'm sure little black girls and their moms will be thrilled.

btw, why is it considered ok to race bend a white character but offensive to whitewash minority characters? this isn't mocking, Im really curious... is it because of a sense of payback that's owed? Minorities have been underrepresented for decades in the media, so now the white folk need to bite their lip, shut up, and let them have their time to shine even if it means allowing them to change their own white mythology and folklore? I mean I get it... but i cant help but feel that there's a sort of hypocrisy to it.

it's something i've wondered as well.

[Sotiris]

I've already started seeing comments online claiming that Disney is trying to "vilify white people" by having the hero be Black while the villain white. Perhaps it would have been better if they had cast a Black actor as Ursula since most of the cast will be Black anyway. They could have avoided some of the backlash.

[Old Fish Tale]

I've already started seeing comments online claiming that Disney is trying to "vilify white people" by having the hero be Black while the villain white. Perhaps it would have been better if they had cast a Black actor as Ursula since most of the cast will be Black anyway. They could have avoided some of the backlash.

And yet Eric is supposed to be white too...

I actually think changing Triton's family's race will add another layer to the division between land and sea and his hatred of humans.