Watch: The Little Mermaid Star Halle Bailey Performs "Part of Your World" Live for the First Time
Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake is making some big waves heading into opening day on May 19th. First reactions to The Little Mermaid have been mostly positive, with particular praise for star Halle Bailey's performance as Ariel. Well, Disney has heard that praise and are putting its best foot (or... flipper?) forward, by showcasing Halle Bailey tackling the most iconic number in The Little Mermaid's songbook "Part of Your World".
As you can see in the video above, Halle Bailey not only rises to the challenge of singing "Part of Your World" – she kills it in a way that also makes the song uniquely her own. Some may argue that Bailey getting to do a live performance at Disneyland (with all the pomp and circumstance comforts that provides) is a safe and staged way to market the young star and this new take on The Little Mermaid; however, reactions are stating that her full performance lives up to what we see here.
Halle Bailey and Disney's The Little Mermaid have faced massive amounts of backlash over everything from the design of the live-action film to the casting choices. Bailey has been the biggest target of the vitriol, largely due to the decision to make the live-action version of Ariel a woman of color. However, seeing the reaction to Bailey's performance makes it hard to argue that she wasn't THE right choice for the role, at least vocally.
One person who has been openly supportive of Halle Bailey's performance as Ariel, is The Little Mermaid animated movie star Jodi Benson. After speaking up about the casting choice early on, Benson took time out on the red carpet at The Little Mermaid's premiere to have a show-stopping photo-op moment literally embracing Halle Bailey as the new Little Mermaid.
"The Little Mermaid," visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall's live-action reimagining of the studio's Oscar®-winning animated musical classic, opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 26, 2023. "The Little Mermaid" is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton's daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father's crown – in jeopardy.
The Little Mermaid will be in theaters on May 19th.