Halle Bailey on Footsteps of ‘Black Women Pioneers’

Halle Bailey thanked the Black women who preceded her at Disney following her turn to star. The Little Mermaid.

Warming the hearts of Disney fans with her role as Ariel, Bailey gave credit to the “incredible” Black actresses she grew up watching as Disney princesses and who inspired her to take on the iconic role.

Defending Brandy and Anika Noni Rose for their roles, Bailey, 23, said: MEAT: “I loved Brandy as Cinderella; she was so amazing, she was a role model and inspiration, and was a really big working point for me when I was struggling with Ariel.

“I watched how great she was in that role and how comfortable she was in her skin and how effective she was for the audience that watched her and for little girls like me. And Anika Noni Rose was phenomenal.

“I had a chance to meet him and we should sing [The Princess and the Frog‘s] for the song, “Almost There” [2022’s Disney Family Singalong] with my sister [Chloe Bailey]. He was always so kind!”

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Speaking about the positive imprint these predecessors have left, Bailey added: “There are these beautiful Black female pioneers who have done this before and are there so I can say, ‘Okay, I can do this.'”

Bailey continued to describe the “beautiful” and “overwhelming” moments she had when she saw the reactions of young Black girls to her as the new Disney princesses, in videos shared on social media.

“It was such a great moment for me to be able to see the babies’ reactions – it honestly turns me on emotionally and I cry as soon as I watch them.” The Little Mermaid star shared

“It heals the girl in me,” said Bailey, to see the impact the representation of her last role had on the Black community and the younger generation that followed.

“I think about the little girl that’s still inside of me, and honestly, watching them feel like they’re representative and have someone to look after, knowing that they deserve to be in these places, heals the girl in me,” Bailey said. aforementioned.

“[It’s] very important. It makes me cry whenever I see any of these videos.”

Bailey has a lot to celebrate after its release. The Little Mermaidafter the movie smashed the box office on its opening weekend.

After its theatrical release on Friday, the remastered 1989 Disney animation classic earned $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America on Sunday, according to the Associated Press, which cited studio estimates.