1. As of May 2016, Disney developed a live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid from the 1989 animated original.
2. On July 3, 2019, Walt Disney Studios Twitter announced that African-American singer and actress Halle Bailey was Will reprise her role as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid , and filming will begin in early 2020.
3. The next day, July 4, 2019, Bailey posted a picture of Ariel (the main character) with black hair. and dark skin color with captions “A dream come true” on Twitter and her IG
4. But on that same day Hashtags #NotMyAriel and #NotMyMermaid emerged. trending on twitter After Disney's announcement that Bailey took over as Ariel. In the hashtag, Disney fans expressed their displeasure with Bailey taking on the role of Ariel. They also threatened to boycott the film. Because Disney destroyed their childhood memories. It also disrespects the original manuscript, which originated in Scandinavian folklore. Ariel is portrayed as a woman with pale skin, blue eyes, red hair.
5. Director Rob Marshall responded to the issue, stating that after searching for a lot of actors for a remake, “It's very clear that Bailey is a rare blend of soul, youth, innocence. Plus her beautiful singing voice. These are all true qualities to play this iconic Disney character.”
6. Disney has yet to respond to the anti-Bailley trend, but Disney's TV network, Freeform, has issued a statement defending Disney's decision to cast Bailey for the role. They posted on Instagram that 'An open letter to the poor and unfortunate souls'
While Hans Christian Andersen, the original Danish author of the saga, once stated that “Ariel…is a mermaid. and is a character in the novel And although Ariel is Danish But Danish mermaids can have black skin because Danes can also be black.”
“Black people can be Danish. And because of this, Merfolk can have genetically red hair as well. getting the role of Ariel ..because she just doesn't look like a cartoon.”
7. On September 10, 2022, Disney released the first trailer for The Little Mermaid at the D23 Expo. We see Bailey, aka Ariel, swimming under the sea with beautiful long red hair. Along with singing Ariel's iconic song "Part of Your World" But the trailer has received more than a million dislikes on YouTube.
8. Director Rob Marshall gave an interview to the media at the same event that Why did he choose Bailey for the role? “I remember seeing her at the Grammy Awards. So try to invite her to cast the role of Ariel. And when she sang Part Of Your World, I immediately burst into tears and thought she was so profound. emotional and so beautiful Bailey set the beam very high. and no one has ever crossed that beam.”
Additionally, Jodi Benson, who voiced the 1989 animated version of Ariel, is one of many. People who came out to support Bailey in this role. “I think the spirit of the character is what really matters If I sing Part of Your World now, the way you interpret the song might change. Judging by appearances because I am old,” Benson said.
9. Bailey spoke at the D23 Expo about her portrayal of Ariel. “It was a beautiful experience.” “We all have the feeling of wanting something better for ourselves. And I think Ariel's strengths is that she follows her dreams She does as she wants. ..and I admire her strength. So I tried my best to play this part.”
She also added that the film brings A 'new story' comes to The Little Mermaid that isn't just a story. 'falling in love or needs of men But it has to do with how Ariel sees things. for her own future and her passion.”
10. After Disney released the trailer for The Little Mermaid on February 15, 2023, the black actor debate heated up again. There are some opinions that are so critical that people in the internet world are expressing concern about the issue of racism and skin color in society. Comments such as “Introducing new movies, very strange scripts, mermaids being captured and sold into slavery. Cotton picking in Mississippi…”
Causing people to respond to this post saying “This is not just a matter of misfit actors. But it's a racist face…” and “I understand people who say it doesn't match the image. But people who aren't okay just because of their skin color or looks. both using it to make a meme to retouch his face To say he should play this one more than that is racism.”
There are also other comments. Many more that fall under racism and ethnicity like Ariel are definitely in deep water. because she has a strange shape Or under water, there is no light at all? Why is it so dark?
Moreover, comments like this are made all over the world, such as “Ariel and Eric seem like a love affair between plantation owners in the south of the United States. with slaves in the 19th century.”
However, there are many people who think The Disney version of Ariel also looks like a redhead, with pale skin, who is prone to prejudice from people.
11. Recently, The Little Mermaid 2023 has gradually premiered in many countries around the world. Including Thailand, which will have a press round today, May 23, 2023
which abroad has released the first set of criticism Based on 101 reviews by critics on Rottentomatoes, The Little Mermaid 2023 has a 70% fresh aubergine sweep, making it Disney's best-reviewed live action film since the release of Beauty and the Beast in 2017.
Most favorites praised the performance of "Halle Bailey" (Halle Bailey) that can carry the entire movie from start to finish.
Critics also praised Disney's live-action remake for staying true to the essence of the original 1989 story, although many parts of The Little Mermaid 2023 are still missing. lack of knowledge
complete, especially the climax of the story But with the charm of the actors and the sincere storyline, the overall picture is not too bad.
However, one thing, regardless of the critics who rate fresh eggplants or the critics who rate rotten eggplant They all agree that Lead actress Halle Bailey's performance is exceptional, especially in singing, which is already her specialty.
The Little Mermaid 2023 movie is scheduled to be released in Thai theaters on May 25, 2023.
