NEW YORK — Halle Bailey, half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle, will next be going under the sea, starring as Ariel in the upcoming adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.”
The live-action version will include original songs from the 1989 animated hit as well as new tunes from original composer Alan Menken and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Some of the tunes include “Under the Sea,” ‘’Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl.”
Bailey will join Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina in the film, about a mermaid who meets a prince and longs to be, like him, a human. Rob Marshall (“Mary Poppins Returns”) will direct.
Jodi Benson provided the voice of the title character in the original 1989 animated version of “The Little Mermaid.”
Disney
Marshall says that Bailey “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.”
Production is scheduled to begin in early 2020.
Disney is on a roll with remakes of its animated classics using live actors and/or photorealistic CGI animation. A new “Lion King,” opening July 19, follows recent updates of “Cinderella,” “Pete’s Dragon,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Jungle Book,” “Dumbo” and “Aladdin.”
