Advertisement

Meet the new Ariel for Disney’s live-action ‘Little Mermaid’

Halle Bailey will play Ariel in Disney's 'Little Mermaid' reboot. Disney

Get ready for Halle Bailey to be part of your world.

The R&B singer has been cast as Ariel in Disney’s upcoming live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid, Disney revealed on Wednesday afternoon.

Bailey joins a cast that includes Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina and Melissa McCarthy, according to Variety.

The role marks Bailey’s big-screen debut. Her music group Chloe x Halle, a duo with her sister Chloe, opened for Beyoncé and toured with the artist.

READ MORE: ‘Toy Story 4’ review: Heartwarming tale another hit for the franchise

Bailey tweeted a photo of what her animated Ariel character would look like, writing that it’s a “dream come true.”

https://twitter.com/chloexhalle/status/1146509551497170944

Story continues below advertisement

Many excited Disney fans took to Twitter to discuss the casting after Bailey’s role was announced.

Story continues below advertisement

Story continues below advertisement

https://twitter.com/NicoMyrna_/status/1146508357156646916

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: ‘Lion King’ trailer: See live-action Scar, Nala, Mufasa and Simba

The film is directed by Rob Marshall and produced by Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Story continues below advertisement

The film will feature songs from the animated classic by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as new songs by Menken (music) and Miranda (lyrics).

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role,” said Marshall.

READ MORE: On the Radar: Our July entertainment picks

Production is anticipated to begin in early 2020.

Sponsored content

AdChoices