Halle Bailey reflects on bringing ‘the essence of who I am’ to Ariel in The Little Mermaid remake

When The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall first heard actor and singer Halle Bailey performing the 1989 film’s song Part of Your World, he was moved to tears.

“The thing is, she had set the bar so high, because Ariel needs to be so many things,” he says.

“She needs an exquisite sort of angelic voice because it’s part of the story, but also she needs to be passionate and strong.

“But also vulnerable and kind of wide eyed — somewhat ethereal.”

Marshall says Bailey fit the bill and scored the part after auditioning against hundreds of other girls of different ethnicities.