What’s Up With “The Little Mermaid”?

“The Little Mermaid” that we all know and love will be in theatres once again in 2023. However, this time around, it will be a live-action remake. Directed by Rob Marshall, “The Little Mermaid” will premiere in theaters on May 26, 2023.  

  Here is the cast: Halle Bailey will star as Ariel, Awkwafina will play Ariel’s seagull friend Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay will play Ariel’s fish Flounder, Jonah Hauer-King is set to play Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy will play the villain Ursula, and lastly Daveed Diggs will take on the role of Sebastian the crab.    

  Before Bailey’s casting in “The Little Mermaid,” there was only one other Black actor who has played a Disney princess: Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog.” Bailey’s casting as Ariel in the film broke a barrier, and with that came the backlash. There have been some controversies and backlash about the casting of “The Little Mermaid,” specifically with the fact that a Black woman is playing the main character. This is because nostalgists want the live-action film to replicate the animated version released in 1989; however, it is simply racist. The teaser trailer of “The Little Mermaid” reportedly received over 1 million dislikes on YouTube and received a heavy load of hateful comments. Some haters even went as far as to reanimate the trailer to make Ariel white. However, “The Little Mermaid” is about a mermaid discovering the sea and land; a fictitious character whose racial identity is completely irrelevant to the plot of the film.   

  Another controversy about the film is that Halle Bailey is mostly a singer, not an actress. However, the film is a musical and that is why Disney went with Bailey because she does have an amazing voice.  

  The last controversy about the film is about Sebastian, Ariel’s crab. Daveed Diggs will be playing Sebastian, but it has been announced that Diggs is uncomfortable playing Sebastian. During an interview, Diggs revealed that he is skeptical about playing Sebastian because Sebastian seems to have a Caribbean accent in the 1989 animation. Although there is no set country where the film takes place, it is clear to the audience that the character has Caribbean roots and that the character was inspired by Caribbean culture. Diggs is not of Caribbean descent, which is why he is skeptical about taking on the role. However, Diggs is culturally aware and is enjoying the role, and wants to accurately depict Caribbean culture through Sebastian.   

  Although there are controversies with the casting of the film, the release of the film is an achievement. Bailey being cast as Ariel broke racial barriers, and Ariel (Bailey) will be a role model to younger generations. The film is already getting an immense amount of attention and praise from just the teaser, so the release of the film in May 2023 will be amazing.