On May 8, The Little Mermaid premiered in Los Angeles, welcoming the stars to a blue carpet event to watch the remake before anyone else, weeks ahead of its release schedule later this month. Among the star-studded cast were stand-out celebrities Halle Bailey, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy, who portray Ariel, King Triton and Ursula, respectively. But the star power doesn’t end there, oh no. As it turns out, the House of Mouse couldn’t hold off on inviting even more famous faces to bask in the glory, including some special guests from Disney’s princess vault.
Ariel herself, Halle Bailey, stole the moment on Monday. She strutted the walkway in an elegant, form-fitting gown from Valdrin Sahiti, reminiscent of an upside down mermaid’s tail. The dress was designed as an optical illusion to mimic the color, flow and texture of water. But we won’t gush over her any longer, see it for yourself:
It wouldn’t be a party without inviting the OG Ariel. The star of the 1989 animated classic, Jodi Benson, was also in attendance. Although she might not stand out like a sore thumb in the same way Bailey does, for a 61-year-old woman, she certainly brings high couture fashion wherever she goes. Dressed from head to toe in a pastel blue flowing gown, Benson left a literal trail of oceanic crystals in her wake. Both Bailey and Benson (we’ll call them BB) are perfect representations of how the younger generation honors those who came before them.
Unable to contain themselves, BB even shared an emotional hug in front of the cameras, where we’re assuming Benson told Bailey how proud she was of her, as revealed to Entertainment Tonight. Either way, Bailey looks ecstatic.
And we promised more Disney princesses, didn’t we? Who remembers The Princess and the Frog? Certainly the Black community will be extremely familiar with Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana, Disney’s first-ever Black animated Disney princess. And now, we have Halle Bailey following in Rose’s footsteps to inspire a new generation of Black excellence. Although TPATF isn’t even 15 years old yet, a lot has changed from the late 2000s to the early 2020s. We couldn’t be more thrilled to see Black actors getting the roles of a lifetime, especially as they’ve worked just as hard as everyone else to be where they are today.
Do we have any Disney Channel fans in the building? Since you’re currently reading an article about Disney, we’re assuming so. Well, if you remember Kyla Pratt, you’ll be familiar with her voiceover work as Penny Proud in The Proud Family. It’s heartwarming to see the Dr. Dolittle showing up in full support of her Black sisters.
Disney’s Encanto was a global hit, so it shouldn’t be surprising to see another POC Disney actress arriving to wish Bailey well on her journey to success. Argentinian Stephanie Beatriz wowed us all in her glittery two-tone dress, sparkling like the star she is.
We hadn’t expected such a turnout for The Little Mermaid premiere, but always expect the unexpected, especially where it concerns a celebration such as this. We’re not only toasting to Disney’s success as a franchise, but also a generational stepping stone towards acceptance, inclusivity and love for all POC entertainers.
The Little Mermaid dives into theaters on May 26, 2023.
