The Little Mermaid (Live-Action)

[Sotiris]

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

Race almost always plays a part in how characters of color are portrayed. It would be disingenuous to pretend that their race and how the world perceives them doesn't affect them or influences their lives. White characters are usually seen as blank slates who can be anyone without having to address any racial or cultural "baggage". But there are some white characters where their culture and ethnicity plays a significant part in their story. Merida and Hercules come to mind. I don't think Scottish people would be happy if Merida were to be race-bend, for example.

[Old Fish Tale]

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

Race almost always plays a part in how characters of color are portrayed. It would be disingenuous to pretend that their race and how to world perceives them doesn't affect them or influences their lives. White characters are usually seen as blank slates who can be anyone without having to address any racial or cultural "baggage". But there are some white characters where their culture and ethnicity plays a significant part in their story. Merida and Hercules come to mind. I don't think Scottish people would be happy if Merida were to be race-bend, for example.

Again: those characters were defined by their culture even if they were white. Ariel wasn't.

[MrXemnas1992]

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.

I heard Eric's going to be a POC actor as well.

[Disney's Divinity]

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

Race almost always plays a part in how characters of color are portrayed. It would be disingenuous to pretend that their race and how the world perceives them doesn't affect them or influences their lives. White characters are usually seen as blank slates who can be anyone without having to address any racial or cultural "baggage". But there are some white characters where their culture and ethnicity plays a significant part in their story. Merida and Hercules come to mind. I don't think Scottish people would be happy if Merida were to be race-bend, for example.

I agree. Any non-white character is "defined by their culture," but none of the white girls are--oh please. Never mind that TLM is a Danish fairytale and has always been portrayed as white in most art / adaptations--and coincidentally the animated film they're re-making for money's sake. Aladdin and Jasmine—and Mowgli—aren’t "defined" by their race any more than Ariel is, but there would've been an entirely different reaction if they were played by Tom Holland and Dakota Fanning or some random white boy in Mowgli’s case. I don't feel the least bit bad being pissed off that Ariel isn’t going to have her iconic look now.

[Old Fish Tale]

Race almost always plays a part in how characters of color are portrayed. It would be disingenuous to pretend that their race and how the world perceives them doesn't affect them or influences their lives. White characters are usually seen as blank slates who can be anyone without having to address any racial or cultural "baggage". But there are some white characters where their culture and ethnicity plays a significant part in their story. Merida and Hercules come to mind. I don't think Scottish people would be happy if Merida were to be race-bend, for example.

I agree. Any non-white character is "defined by their culture," but none of the white girls are--oh please. Never mind that TLM is a Danish fairytale and has always been portrayed as white in most art / adaptations--and coincidentally the animated film they're re-making for money's sake. Aladdin and Jasmine—and Mowgli—aren’t "defined" by their race any more than Ariel is, but there would've been an entirely different reaction if they were played by Tom Holland and Dakota Fanning or some random white boy in Mowgli’s case. I don't feel the least bit bad being pissed off that Ariel isn’t going to have her iconic look now.

And a few posts above, I did say Merida, who is white, is defined by her culture. Unlike Ariel, we know for sure in which country she lives.

[MickeyMouseboy]

Race almost always plays a part in how characters of color are portrayed. It would be disingenuous to pretend that their race and how the world perceives them doesn't affect them or influences their lives. White characters are usually seen as blank slates who can be anyone without having to address any racial or cultural "baggage". But there are some white characters where their culture and ethnicity plays a significant part in their story. Merida and Hercules come to mind. I don't think Scottish people would be happy if Merida were to be race-bend, for example.

I agree. Any non-white character is "defined by their culture," but none of the white girls are--oh please. Never mind that TLM is a Danish fairytale and has always been portrayed as white in most art / adaptations--and coincidentally the animated film they're re-making for money's sake. Aladdin and Jasmine—and Mowgli—aren’t "defined" by their race any more than Ariel is, but there would've been an entirely different reaction if they were played by Tom Holland and Dakota Fanning or some random white boy in Mowgli’s case. I don't feel the least bit bad being pissed off that Ariel isn’t going to have her iconic look now.

I agree! that's why i wonder be watching that film or wasting my cash. I'll just stick to the cartoon film.

[Sotiris]

Do you think Ariel will retain her iconic hairstyle or is there's a chance she'll be sporting a more authentic Black hairstyle like an Afro, dreadlocks or cornrows? Do you think there'll be backlash from the Black community if she has straight hair? There's been a resurgence of politics surrounding hair lately so it might pose an issue.

[MickeyMouseboy]

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.

This movie is racist in a way. The mermaid is black and gets hoaxed by a white witch. lol Nice DISNEY! Nice!

[MickeyMouseboy]

Do you think Ariel will retain her iconic hairstyle or is there's a chance she'll be sporting a more authentic Black hairstyle like an Afro, dreadlocks or cornrows? Do you think there'll be backlash from the Black community if she has straight hair? There's been a resurgence of politics surrounding hair lately so it might pose an issue.

The soundtrack will be the rap version of Poor unfortunate souls and the R&B version of part of your world. The end song will be a Beyonce and Jay-z duet.

[nomad2010]

I think what people need to keep in mind here is that Disney HASNT race-bent any of their live action films before now. If they were going to, this was the one to do it with. We’re dealing with mythical creatures here. Ariel is defined by her voice. Not her skin color. Not her hair.

I will say I’m disappointed in Disney for not looking outside of just black actresses. There are so many other minorities underrepresented in film, and diversity does not mean simply black or white. As I stated in another message, for example, Spain has never been represented. Latin America has. But not Spain, and with the above the sea location being Spain, this could’ve been a great opportunity to cast a Spaniard. In fact, I’m almost a little shocked with Miranda’s involvement that this wasn’t the case. I’m hoping maybe they will with Eric.

Either way, you’re still getting the story you love and the character you are attached to. She may not look like you pictured her, but as corny as it sounds, it’s what’s inside that counts. Her character. Not her looks. And I genuinely believe Marshall knows she’s the one, as he is such a stickler for being true to source.

My guess is that this will be a defining movie for Disney. I think they’ve been afraid to eclipse the original, but my bet is they will attempt to go for broke with this one. Whether it works or not is to be seen, but I get the feeling we’re gonna be in for a treat.

[Old Fish Tale]

I think what people need to keep in mind here is that Disney HASNT race-bent any of their live action films before now. If they were going to, this was the one to do it with. We’re dealing with mythical creatures here. Ariel is defined by her voice. Not her skin color. Not her hair.

At last, some sense.

[Disney's Divinity]

Do you think Ariel will retain her iconic hairstyle or is there's a chance she'll be sporting a more authentic Black hairstyle like an Afro, dreadlocks or cornrows? Do you think there'll be backlash from the Black community if she has straight hair? There's been a resurgence of politics surrounding hair lately so it might pose an issue.

I assume she's going to look like Bailey herself does with nothing changed. So dreads. No ‘80s do and no wild, flowing red locks. One of the reasons TLM is beautiful to watch is how her hair is practically a character of its own. That would have been difficult to re-create in live-action anyway and even less so with dreads.

And if we want to be technical about where the film might be set for the sake of excuse-making (since the setting in the animated film is a mishmash, which is the case for most Disney movies), we do know the merfolk live at the bottom of the sea. Why would a race of people who spend their lives never being touched by the sun be anything other than light-skinned—if they have skin at all—whether white or Asian?

The soundtrack will be the rap version of Poor unfortunate souls and the R&B version of part of your world. The end song will be a Beyonce and Jay-z duet.

[Old Fish Tale]

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.

This movie is racist in a way. The mermaid is black and gets hoaxed by a white witch. lol Nice DISNEY! Nice!

Why can't it be a comment on racism? She still gets her voice back and destroys who silenced her.

[Disney Duster]

Well, I really wanted someone who looked like Ariel in skin and hair just like the original. When designing the original films, the artists chose colors for certain reasons. But in doing a new movie, sometimes changes are also made for good reasons. I just wanted the characters to have the same similarities to their original versions that the last remakes got.

But at least Ariel can sing!

[Sotiris]

The soundtrack will be the rap version of Poor unfortunate souls and the R&B version of part of your world. The end song will be a Beyonce and Jay-z duet.

I sincerely hope the music is not tampered with, not even to the extent Aladdin's was. The arrangement and instrumentation is prefect as is.

I think what people need to keep in mind here is that Disney HASNT race-bent any of their live action films before now. If they were going to, this was the one to do it with. We’re dealing with mythical creatures here.

I dont think Diseny's decision to race-bend Ariel has anything to do with the fact she's a mythical creature. Most of their characters are fictional and their stories set in fantastical places with magic invloved so it wouldn't pose an issue any more than it does now had they done so earlier.

[MickeyMouseboy]

This movie is racist in a way. The mermaid is black and gets hoaxed by a white witch. lol Nice DISNEY! Nice!

Why can't it be a comment on racism? She still gets her voice back and destroys who silenced her.

yeah and a black person killing a white person. I'm sure after everything going in the news that's what we need lol haha. At least if you are going to make this an african american rendition make it all an all african american cast. I'm sure Oprah would be an awesome Ursula.

[MickeyMouseboy]

The soundtrack will be the rap version of Poor unfortunate souls and the R&B version of part of your world. The end song will be a Beyonce and Jay-z duet.

I sincerely hope the music is not tampered with, not even to the extent Aladdin's was. The arrangement and instrumentation is prefect as is.

I think what people need to keep in mind here is that Disney HASNT race-bent any of their live action films before now. If they were going to, this was the one to do it with. We’re dealing with mythical creatures here.

I dont think Diseny's decision to race-bend Ariel has anything to do with the fact she's a mythical creature. Most of their characters are fictional and their stories set in fantastical places with magic invloved so it wouldn't pose an issue any more than it does now had they done so earlier.

well Trinton is a greek god and he's the brother of Zeus. So in a way they are race defined. They are greek gods.

[Old Fish Tale]

yeah and a black person killing a white person. I'm sure after everything going in the news that's what we need lol haha. At least if you are going to make this an african american rendition make it all an all african american cast. I'm sure Oprah would be an awesome Ursula.

Would you find it better or worse if it was a white person destroying another white person?

[Old Fish Tale]

well Trinton is a greek god and he's the brother of Zeus. So in a way they are race defined. They are greek gods.

You actually mean Poseidon.

And it's never mentioned in the film.

[MickeyMouseboy]

yeah and a black person killing a white person. I'm sure after everything going in the news that's what we need lol haha. At least if you are going to make this an african american rendition make it all an all african american cast. I'm sure Oprah would be an awesome Ursula.

Would you find it better or worse if it was a white person destroying another white person?

At least the argument of racism wouldn't be a cause of killing.