Disney Finds 'Little Mermaid' Star in Singer/Actress Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey is going under the sea.
The 19-year-old singer/actress has landed the lead role of Ariel in Disney's live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid."
Bailey is half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, along with her older sister. They first rose to fame via YouTube covers of Beyoncé and were eventually discovered by the superstar singer and her record label. They went on to open for Beyoncé on her “Lemonade” tour.
Halle and her sister have appeared in supporting roles on the Freeform comedy series "Grown-ish," but "Little Mermaid" will mark Halle's feature film debut.
She'll play Ariel, the rebellious daughter of King Triton who longs to live on dry land. Bailey joins a cast that includes Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina.Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play Ursula.
The remake will incorporate the iconic songs from the 1989 animated classic — such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl" — as well as new music from original composer Alan Menken and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In a statement, director Rob Marshall said, “After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role."