It’s almost time to go under the sea: Today marks just 100 days until the premiere of the highly anticipated live-action remake of the The Little Mermaid. Now that the countdown to the May 26 release date is officially underway, star Halle Bailey shared the latest goosebump-inducing teaser—this time, we get a glimpse of Ariel’s romance with Prince Eric, and villain Ursula even makes a spooky appearance.
The original teaser trailer was unveiled at the D23 Expo 2022 last September, giving Black kids everywhere a rare taste of what it’s like to play Disney royalty on-screen. The teaser trailer sparked viral social media moments—people shared how their young Black children reacted to the sneak peek, particularly their response to seeing a Black Disney princess in Ariel, played by Bailey.
In fact, Bailey is only the second Black actor to play Disney princess on the silver screen. Actress Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in the animated 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, was the first. That makes the historic casting of Bailey—known for her powerhouse vocals in the sister R&B group Chloe x Halle and her role in earlier seasons of the show Grown-ish—one worth celebrating. Bailey is also starring in next year’s remake of the film The Color Purple, which is being coproduced by Oprah.
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Variety reported that upon the news of Bailey’s casting, not everyone was happy with the notion of Black mermaid, and people used the hashtag #NotMyAriel to share their distaste online. As Bailey’s family rallied around her, her grandparents shared stories of their racial trauma while telling her how significant her casting is for Black representation.
“I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special, and that they should be a princess in every single way,” Bailey told Variety. “There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be. That reassurance was something that I needed.”
So this is truly a watershed moment for many Black youngsters—and, let’s face it: Black people of all ages aren’t used to seeing main characters who look like them in Disney movies. Watch the original teaser trailer for yourself here, and take a look at the sweet reactions below.
Watch these kids light up while watching the original teaser trailer:
Last September, Bailey herself got wind of the reactions and posted a sweet message with a video montage on Instagram.
Kerry Washington also shared how emotional she felt.
The Little Mermaid is being directed by Rob Marshall and is slated for a May 26 debut. It will feature both original songs and new music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. Marshall and Miranda also serve as some of the film’s producers. Viewers can also expect to see celebs like Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, and Awkwafina in the new live-action version of the classic film.
We think it’s safe to say that if this film is anything like its teaser, it’ll bring out the child in all of us. The Little Mermaid will arrive exclusively in theaters on May 26, 2023.
Jane Burnett is an Assistant Editor at Oprah Daily, where she writes a variety of lifestyle content for the editorial team. She's a journalist with a pop culture sweet tooth—when she isn't catching up on celebrity news, she's usually listening to a podcast! Jane was previously an on-air reporter in local news, and worked at Thrive Global, Ladders News, and Reuters. She also interned at CNBC through the Emma Bowen Foundation, and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
