The Little Mermaid Star Spent 13 Hours a Day in Water for New Disney Remake

This summer will bring the long-awaited debut of The Little Mermaid, the live-action remake of the beloved Disney classic. The Little Mermaid has enchanted fans thus far with its teaser trailers and various other pieces of marketing, which have spotlighted Halle Bailey’s trailblazing take on Ariel. In a recent interview with Edition magazine, Bailey shed some light on the experience of making the film, revealing that she spent as much as 13 hours a day underwater while filming.

“I pushed myself as far as I’ve ever pushed myself in life,” Bailey revealed. “And I feel like the message from [Ariel] was to know that you’ve always had it in you.”

What is The Little Mermaid remake about?

The Little Mermaid will follow Ariel, the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica’s ruler King Triton, who is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric from a shipwreck and falling in love with, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula, making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress Eric. However, this ultimately places her life (and her father’s crown) in jeopardy.

The film will be directed by Rob Marshall (Mary Poppins Returns), with a script from David Magee and Jane Goldman. The cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy. The film is expected to feature original songs from the 1989 animated blockbuster, as well as new tracks composed by Alan Menken and Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda.

“This movie means so much to me, since I was a little girl,” Bailey told ComicBook.com during D23 Expo. “I think, approaching this role, I said to myself, ‘I can only try my hardest and make myself proud. If I make the little girl inside me happy, then I know I did a good job and I know I’m doing my best.’ I just gave it my all, and I hope people can take something away from it.”

Are you excited for the live-action The Little Mermaid? What do you think of Bailey’s latest quotes about the film? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The Little Mermaid is set to be released in theaters on May 26th.