Cover 'The Little Mermaid' 2023 (Photo: IMDb)
'The Little Mermaid' 2023 (Photo: IMDb)
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Reactions to 'The Little Mermaid' teaser trailer is enough reason why we need this Disney film
Five days ago, Disney revealed a teaser trailer for the most-awaited live-action adaptation of the iconic animated film The Little Mermaid.
In the first few seconds of Rob Marshal's The Little Mermaid, we see a view of the ocean as sea creatures swim across the frame. Moments later, we hear a captivating siren singing in the background right before the camera reveals the beautiful Halle Bailey as Ariel.
Above 'The Little Mermaid' 2023 (Photo: IMDb)
'The Little Mermaid' 2023 (Photo: IMDb)
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As of writing, the trailer has already reached 15.7 million views on the official Walt Disney Studios' YouTube channel and has been warmly received by viewers, especially young people of colour.
Many parents have shared clips of their children reacting to the reveal at the end of the teaser, all of which were adorable. Bailey, who has been actively responding to the reaction videos online, has expressed her gratitude.
"Seeing these little babies' reactions makes me so emotional. This means the world to me," she writes in the caption of an Instagram reel.
But while many sang praises for Rob Marshal's The Little Mermaid trailer, there are still others who have openly expressed their discontent with the casting. Some were downright abrasive while others have attempted to politely present their stance on the casting choice through discussions, insofar as tracing the fair-skinned mermaid in the original Hans Christian Andersen story and looking at it from a scientific perspective.
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Even Matt Walsh, an American commentator who has made controversial remarks in the past, is pushing for a scientific explanation as to why little girls should be gazing at a fair-skinned mermaid in the new teaser trailer because, well, this fictitious creature is not exposed to sunlight in the deep blue sea.
Halle Bailey at Disney (Photo: Instagram / @hallebailey)
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Unfortunately, this is not the first time the movie has divided fans. The internet first tackled the news when the casting for The Little Mermaid was announced in 2019. There are still a few critics who haven't changed their minds since—even after seeing the teaser—so it seems.
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Bailey doesn't seem fazed in spite of the criticism and has already addressed the hateful comments in the past.
Even Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel in the animated film, came to Bailey's defence during the Florida Supercon convention. She said, "The most important thing is to tell the story. And we have, as a family, we have raised our children, and for ourselves, that we don't see anything that's different on the outside."
The voice of the original animated movie 'The Little Mermaid', Jodi Benson (Photo: Instagram / @jodi.benson)
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As someone who was once a little girl wishing to be part of Ariel's world, I've wanted nothing more than an accurate live-action depiction of The Little Mermaid. To be frank, it was a brave choice to champion diversity and inclusivity when it came to adapting a classic Disney favourite. We have yet to see if Bailey can bring our favourite mermaid to life.
Seeing the singer-actress in fins and hearing her sing the climactic line, however, already shows promise.
The Little Mermaid (2023) cast includes Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle.
Watch the full trailer here:
Christine Andas is a features writer and the style lead of Tatler Philippines. She mostly covers style-related content but enjoys writing about space, sneakers, and her favourite stars. She acquired a master's degree in Creative Writing at the University of Santo Tomas and has written young adult short stories which can be read online.
