‘The Little Mermaid’: Halle Bailey and the reason why she almost lost the role of her life: “I do not answer unknown numbers”

On May 26, the live-action remake of ‘The Little Mermaid’ will be released in Spanish cinemas. The film directed by Rob Marshall and with the presence of Javier Bardem, has as its great asset to turn the already figure of music Halle Bailey into a movie star. However, everything was about to change due to a mistake she made in the casting.

Speaking at a press conference, and according to Digital SpyBailey recalled that she had to ignore the call from the director, Rob Marshall, to tell him that she had landed the part.

I think we had celebrated my sister’s birthday the day before. We rented an Airbnb, we were coming home, we downloaded everything, and then I get this call from Rob, and I don’t answer unknown numbers. So I thought, ‘it doesn’t matter what it is, I’m not going to answer it’ and then my little brother came running up to me and said, ‘Answer the phone,’ so I answered it. And Rob said, ‘Hello, I’m looking for Ariel.’

It must have been one of the best things ever to come out of an unknown number. ‘The little mermaid’ has taken longer than expected to arrive because production was affected by the pandemic, giving Baile more time to be with her character.

I tell people all the time that I feel like Ariel has really helped me find myself and this younger version of me. I’ve spent five years of my life with her, from the age of 18 to 23. Those are very intense and transformative years as you develop as a young woman, and I especially feel the themes of the film and what Ariel had to go through in terms of her passions, impulses and speaking for herself. Although she may be scary, she did it. She has taught me a lot.

Her casting has also been very controversial because she is an African-American actress in a character who, in the animated film, had whiter skin. Back in February, Bailey revealed that the racist reaction to her casting as Ariel in the new film was already expected.

As a black person, you expect it and it’s no longer a shock. When Chlöe (her sister of hers) and I first signed with Parkwood, Beyoncé would always say, ‘I never read my comments. Never read the comments’. When the teaser came out, she was at the D23 Expo and she was very happy. I didn’t see any of the negativity.

‘The Little Mermaid’ opens in theaters on May 26.