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“Perfect casting of Halle Bailey” Disney breaks through controversy over having a black actress play The Little Mermaid

Disney has spoken up over “The Little Mermaid”, which has been embroiled in mixed reactions due to the casting choice. 

Walt Disney invited reporters from the Asia Pacific region to Singapore to celebrate its 100th anniversary. From November 30 to December 1, the Disney Content Showcase 2022 is held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. 

On November 30 (local time), at the Disney Content Showcase 2022 in Singapore, Disney introduced the movie “The Little Mermaid” to be released in 2023. Disney said, “This is a classic live-action film. The Disney legends are united once again.” The entire theme song “Part Of The World” of “The Little Mermaid” sung by Halle Bailey was released, raising expectations.

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The live-action of “The Little Mermaid” has been embroiled in controversy over differences to the original animation by casting black actress Halle Bailey as the lead role of Ariel. In the original work, Ariel is white. When the trailer starring Halle Bailey was released, a lot of viewers were against Disney’s casting decision. 

Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, said about the casting, “Halle Bailey is a very good actress and can sing well. I was not looking for a movie star (to play Ariel). I found an Ariel who can bring this generation together.” 

Halle Bailey

Director Rob Marshall was deeply involved in the casting of Halle Bailey. Director said, “I was trusted to work with Disney for the fourth time. Usually, when casting, I select two to three candidates, but this time it was different.” He recalled, “There is only one person.” He added, “When Halle Bailey did the screen test, she was so perfect for the role that I thought she was the right person to play Ariel. I can’t forget that day. I am looking forward to showing you ‘The Little Mermaid’.”

The Little Mermaid

Disney Content Showcase 2022 is an event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Walt Disney Company and unveil new content released in theaters and streaming services. Here, works to be released by Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Animation, and 20th Century Studios, as well as Asia-Pacific content and original content to be introduced through Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar in 2023, are talked about.

Source: Daum

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