Halle Bailey inThe Little Mermaid(2023).Photo: Disney
The first reactions toThe Little Mermaidare in — and they’re overwhelmingly positive.
Kelly Rowlandcalled the film"truly AN EPIC WATCH!!!", praising the music especially and writing, “You laugh, you cry, you sing along!! I know I’m gonna be singing these songs For weeks to come!!!!!!”
“Halle Bailey’s voice is phenomenal, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric is charming,” he added. “The rest of the cast is solid. The animals still look creepy but grew on me.”
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Felicia WadeofDiscussingFilmchimed in saying that while she believes the film “makes it pretty close to being the best live action Disney movie … it still struggles in the villain department.”
That being said, “Halle Bailey IS Ariel and I had literalchills throughout her performance,” Wade added. “This is a little mermaid retelling like you’ve never seen before.”
Additional reactions noted the film’s"romantic" and “magical"feeling and praised it as everything from “charming” to “stunning,” while others criticized itfor being “spotty.”
“It may look visually rough under the sea, but THE LITTLE MERMAID eventually recreates some of the original’s magic through its timeless story & cast,“Next Best Picture’sMatt Negliawrote. “Daveed Diggs&Melissa McCarthyare highlights but Halle Bailey is the one astonishes with her gorgeous singing & empathetic charm.”
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Alongside Bailey as Ariel and British actor Hauer-King, 27, as Eric, the cast also includes McCarthy, 52, as Ursula,Awkwafinaas Scuttle,Jacob Tremblayas Flounder,Javier Bardemas King Triton, Diggs as Sebastian andNoma Dumezweniin a brand-new role.
At Monday’s premiere, Diggs, 41, called Bailey’s casting “incredible” in a conversation with PEOPLE and added, “Obviously, it’s important for Black and Brown kidsand for kids of all ethnicitiesto get to look up on the screen and feel like the story is theirs, too. I’m so thrilled about that.”
TheHamiltonalum, whoplays Ariel’s tough-shelled crab mentorinThe Little Mermaid, continued, “I’m also thrilled that it is Halle, of anybody. She’s wonderful.”
“This is the only person who should be playing this role,” he said.
The Little Mermaidswims into theaters May 26.
source: people.com
