Disney announced in 2019 that the live-action of The Little Mermaid was in the works which is going to come out in May 2023. While this was just a teaser, it definitely made fans excited. However, that excitement faded for some when they found out who was cast as Ariel.
Halle Bailey was selected to be the lead in the movie. She is a Black actress and this is her first major movie role. However, this has been met with a lot of backlash from fans as Ariel was originally illustrated as a white person.
The origins of The Little Mermaid actually have no cultural references. In the original story by Hans Christian, the book is implied to take off the coast of Denmark but does not explicitly say where.
This would be different in stories such as Mulan and Pocahontas. Both of these stories clearly do depict the importance of culture in their stories, so it’s important to be as accurate as possible. Mulan has been made into a live-action remake with the cast being Chinese. Pocahontas was based on a true story,while Mulan was based on an old Chinese folk tale. Both stories show the importance of the culture that the Princesses were brought up in. Disney makes it a point to show that Mulan is Chinese and incorporates ancient Chinese culture. Pocahontas takes place during the American Colonization and focuses on that historical aspect.
The Princess and the Frog is the first Disney movie to have a Black princess. The cultural significance of this shows the Black culture in New Orleans in the 1920s. For example, it shows the importance of their food, music, and clothing.
The majority of the Disney Princesses and characters are white, yet most of them do not show any cultural importance in their stories. It’s rather hard to guess where their stories take place just and they tend to emphasize the locations of a rural town, a castle, a forest, or even a sea. It’s clear that there is no cultural significance and therefore anyone could portray these Princesses.
For example, the remake of Cinderella in 1997 actually had a Black lead and several members of the cast were people of color that were originally white in the story. It showed that anyone can be in a Disney movie and brought forward that change. Originally, Disney portrayed Cinderella to have no evident cultural background, so it was okay for anyone to take on that role.
However, it wouldn’t be okay for a white person to portray Mulan. Mulan was based on a Chinese folk tale that was passed down over a thousand years ago. Disney clearly shows that the movie was based in China with several cultural references such as clothing, traditions, and culture.
Being hateful and unapproving of the casting choice for The Little Mermaid shows that little girls of color can’t follow their dreams and act one day. Bailey earned that spot based on her ability to act and her talent. It had nothing to do with the color of skin. She serves as a representation of people of color and how much of a positive change she’s making in Disney.
Based on the trailer, the movie bears a resemblance to the original story. Bailey’s hair is dyed red to show similarity to that of Ariel. She wears similar clothing as in the original story. The songs are the same as well as the setting. The story hasn’t changed at all, only that it’s coming to life.
Casting Bailey was the right choice for Disney in the end. She serves as an example for more people of color to audition for Disney remakes that have yet to happen such as Snow White, Tinker Bell, or Hercules.
Incorporating more diversity into Disney’s bigger projects it will open the pathways up for anyone wanting to become an actor. It will also showcase undiscovered talent by allowing people to audition regardless of their background. Also, it shows that people of color do have a place in this world despite being told they couldn’t be anything.
Everyone deserves the right to dream that they can become anything, even Disney princesses. The color of someone’s skin shouldn’t stop them from doing so.