It’s always best to pay homage to those who came before you, which Halle Bailey recently did.
Yesterday (May 8), dozens celebrated the world premiere of The Little Mermaid. Several celebrities graced the ocean-blue carpet and shared their thoughts about the film, including its star Bailey.
When she chatted with multiple outlets about young girls and representation, she said, “I hope that they just know they are worthy. And we deserve to be in these spaces, and I hope that they see themselves and be on the screen. I’m just grateful to be here. There were women before me like Brandy and Anika Rose, who really were the blueprint for me to even be able to be here today. So, I’m just taking this moment all in. I’m so excited.”
Before Bailey earned the opportunity to portray the first Black princess in a live-action Disney remake film, several other soulful singers laid down the ground work. In 1997, Brandy became the first Black woman to play a princess for the entertainment company when she starred in Cinderella alongside Whitney Houston.
Twelve years later, another songstress made history again. Actress Rose debuted as Disney’s first Black animated princess in The Princess and the Frog. She, too, attended The Little Mermaid premiere and shared some words about Bailey.
When she spoke about being a Disney princess with ET, Rose said, “It’s very intense in a good way… She’s ready. [Bailey] knows what to do. She knows who she is. She’s very comfortable within herself. [Bailey] has a kind spirit, and I don’t think that’s gonna change.”
Regarding the film’s representation, Rose added, “With this, I think it’s just opening up pathways for little minds and letting them think of mermaids in a different way.” The Little Mermaid will hit theaters on May 26.