The live-action Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey comes out over Memorial Day Weekend. There was ridiculous racist controversy over Halle’s casting, but that seems to have been drowned out (no pun) by the excitement over the movie. Daveed Diggs, who plays Sebastian, spoke to People at the world premiere about the importance of Halle’s casting and gushed over her performance. He said she’s “the only person who should be playing [the role].”
Daveed Diggs truly thinks it’s “incredible” that Halle Bailey is playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
The actor, best known for his role in the hip-hop musical Hamilton, chatted with PEOPLE about Bailey’s casting at the movie’s world premiere in Los Angeles on Monday evening.
“I think it’s incredible,” said Diggs, 41. “Obviously, it’s important for Black and Brown kids and for kids of all ethnicities to get to look up on the screen and feel like the story is theirs, too. I’m so thrilled about that.”
Diggs, who plays the beloved character Sebastian in the film, continued, “I’m also thrilled that it is Halle, of anybody. She’s wonderful.”
“This is the only person who should be playing this role,” he added.
Bailey recently talked about the experience of making the long-awaited movie, and why the role of Ariel is so important to her, in a May cover story for Ebony.
When asked whether a Black Ariel was something she would have liked to see as a child, Bailey answered in the affirmative.
“What I love about today [is that it’s normalized],” she said. “Somebody told me the other day, ‘[This generation of kids are] not even going to know the first version [of The Little Mermaid]. Their version of Ariel is you.’ ”
Fans got an early look at an iconic scene from the upcoming Little Mermaid film earlier this week. As part of the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards broadcast on Sunday, Disney debuted an exclusive clip of “Kiss the Girl,” sung primarily by Diggs as Sebastian.
Those are some kind words from a costar, especially a great performer like Daveed Diggs, but they’re also pointed considering the initial response to her casting. Anyway, his positive thoughts are echoed among early reviews of the movie. While comments about the visuals and story are mixed, the reviews all praise Halle’s acting performance and singing voice. I’m really excited to see this movie; it was my favorite as a little girl and I never thought I’d get to see a Black woman represent as Ariel. Halle looked like Ariel at the premiere too. She wore a custom strapless Valdrin Sahiti gown, which in most photos appears to be a silvery-blue color. On theme! Also on theme: the scalloped bodice/bust of the dress, just like Ariel’s seashell top. Perfect look, no notes.
.@LittleMermaid shared a lil’ part of their world with the #MTVAwards in this exclusive clip 💙 #TheLittleMermaid pic.twitter.com/vmOuPyzDAz
— MTV (@MTV) May 8, 2023
This casting is so exciting. Too bad Disney sucks. PAY YOUR WRITERS!
Little Mermaid was always my favorite, and I really think this will be a great remake. I feel silly saying this, but each of the things they have released has made me cry a little bit. I’m so excited to go see it
Chills. Chills! My reaction really surprised me — I guess TLM was a more important part of my childhood than I realized 😉 In any case, this may be an actual theater movie for me!
I was surprised that I teared up a little bit too. As cliche as it sounds now, it really is so beautiful to see more representation like this. The Little Mermaid was one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid and I would’ve absolutely LOVED to see Halle’s version of Ariel as a little black girl. I usually don’t like the live action remakes but I think I’ll be seeing this one on opening weekend lol
I’m REALLY excited about this one. It looks so good, they’re including all the classic songs as well as new ones, and I fully trust Rob Marshall and the whole team to make the film live up to our expectations.
I love Daveed Diggs, I love Melissa McCarthy, Im not familiar with Halle Bailey besides this role but I am looking forward to seeing her performance.
So excited to see this one!! And I love her look from the premiere, that dress is amazing.
She’s beautiful and I think she’ll do a great job! I do wish they had done her hair a bit brighter red, because for me Ariel is a redhead more then she is black or white, but it’s splitting hairs.
she killed it with that dress! wow! Cannot wait to see this movie!
Halle is beyond talented and i cannot wait to see this in theatres!!!!
She is WEARING that dress! She looks beautiful! I can’t wait to watch this with my daughter.
Love the dress. It’s definitely mermaid themed and it looks great, as does she.
I’m excited to watch this despite not having loved the original movie. I like a lot of the songs, just not the story itself, I guess. I was an adult when it first aired but didn’t have kids yet, so maybe it was just the wrong time for me.
But I’m looking forward to this! Halle does seem perfectly cast. I’ve also seen some pics/clips of Jonah Hauer-King as the Prince and he seems perfect for it as well. The animated Prince in the first one was kind of a bore. I think Jonah will make him seem worth all the trouble.
I’m glad to see so many excited for this remake, but I am scared it’s going to be terrible. Not because of the cast, but because IMO every one of these live remakes has been terrible. I am really hoping I’m wrong though.
That being said, Halle looks amazing and this dress is so perfectly on theme!! Love it.
Agree, Flounder is so weird looking! Instead of a faithful remake in terms of story, would be cool if they leaned a little more into the Hans Christian Andersen source material(?). I think it was the Kdrama Secret Garden that loosely reinterpreted the story through classism and it was interesting take. Strict remakes are so tired.
This looks like its gonna be great to watch.
I wonder if H&M will watch it at a movie theatre or if theyll somehow arrange to get a copy of the movie and watch it at home…..perhaps a watch party with a bunch of kids. Afterall, they have a big-ass movie theatre at home.
But my point is, around the time of the O interview when O visited H&M and they were out in the Chik-Inn, M said how one day at Frogmore The Little Mermaid was on and the parallels between their lives struck her: the little mermaid fell in love with the prince and in their getting together, she loses her voice.
But then, she regains it.
I think she was cast perfectly for this role. Good for her !
She looks amazing and I can’t wait for the movie .