Are we still talking about Halle Bailey because of her starring role in The Little Mermaid? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. It seems we haven’t learned anything, and we’re still going full throttle with racism.
Halle’s appearance has provoked endless criticism about whether the actress doesn’t fit Ariel’s characteristics. What no one knows, and they say they are fans, is that she does, and she does it perfectly. There is an explanation for this… but there shouldn’t be.
If you think you can’t live without the explanation of why Ariel is black in the live-action The Little Mermaid we have the answer for you to sleep peacefully… or at least try. In case you didn’t know, the original book takes place in the Kingdom of Atlantica, which doesn’t actually exist, so people have assumed that it takes place in Denmark where the book was written, which isn’t necessarily accurate.
As for the animated movie, Disney has not publicly confirmed if it’s set in the same place or the Caribbean, but it is estimated to be in the latter due to Sebastian the crab’s Jamaican accent and the characteristic coral reefs of the area, in addition to the Caribbean influences in the songs. So? Yes, the animated The Little Mermaid most likely takes place in a place where most of the population is of African descent.
Ariel Represents the Caribbean
Based on Triton’s story (they claim so much that the live-action is not based on the “original story”), he has seven daughters, and each one of them represents one of the seven seas. Regardless of the king’s intimate life, which was far from monogamous, it should be noted that Ariel represents the Caribbean.
Ariel is not white in the live-action because she was born in the Latin American Caribbean, period. According to her birthplace, it is the sea that each of Ariel’s sisters represents (you can read more about that here).
How Do We Know the Movie Takes Place in the Caribbean?
Easy. The characters themselves narrate it within the live-action. Ariel narrates some of her adventures in Venezuela, Peru, and Colombia, pointing out that her kingdom is located near these countries. Besides, it is necessary to be more observant, the animated version had Caribbean details that were overlooked due to Ariel’s appearance. In the live-action version, they were faithful to the Disney story and complied with all the real characteristics.
Halle Bailey does fulfill the characteristics of the real Ariel
The original story (which is not a happy story at all) specifies that Ariel is a teenage mermaid, very thin and small, with soft features, big eyes, red and abundant hair, and a powerful mezzo-soprano voice. Halle Bailey fits all of these characteristics.
When talking about Ariel’s skin, the book says that it is smooth and clean like the petal of a rose, and describes her hands as pale; however, this does not mean that she is necessarily white. So, for the love of god, can we please just stop the racism and enjoy the heartwarming story?
Story written in Spanish by Kate Nateras in Cultura Colectiva
Read more:
OG ‘Little Mermaid’ Supports the Live-Action Changes, While You Still Cling to the Past
Why Do We Keep Talking About Halle Bailey and Not ‘The Little Mermaid’?