Disney's live-action Snow White star Rachel Zegler had the perfect response to the criticism of Halle Bailey's The Little Mermaid.
Portrait of Rachel Zegler and Halle Bailey
Actress Rachel Zegler, who played Snow White, has spoken out in favour of Halle Bailey's choice to play Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
Recently, Disney has made efforts to increase the number of live-action films that are based on their animated classics.
Disney has continued to release animated features starring Lily James since 2015's Cinderella, with 2019's Aladdin and 2020's Mulan.
Live-action remakes and reimaginings of these animation masterpieces sometimes work as direct remakes and sometimes place their own unique perspective on the original stories.
While some audiences may question the need for live-action remakes of classic Disney films, others relish the chance to watch their favourite tales given the Disney touch with a modern budget.
A live-action Hercules, The Little Mermaid, and Snow White are all under production at the moment.
Ziegler will play the title role of Snow White opposite Gal Gadot.
As Ariel, Bailey will take centre stage in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1989 Disney animation classic The Little Mermaid.
Bailey has received racist vitriol since her casting because the studio chose to cast a Black actor in the part, and the criticism has only increased since Disney released a trailer for the film.
Those who see themselves in Bailey's interpretation of the Disney princess have responded emotionally to the clip, and she has earned acclaim from fans and fellow actresses, including the original Ariel voice actor, Jodi Benson.
Related:
The Little Mermaid's Original Ariel Actor Explains Why Casting Is Crucial
Ziegler has joined the ranks of many who have taken to Twitter to show their approval of Bailey.
A fan of Zegler's casting as Snow White but not Bailey's, who concluded their tweet with "#NotMyAriel," were quickly silenced by the new Disney star.
Look at her pithy reply down here:
Since Zegler has experienced criticism for her casting as Snow White while being Latina, her support of Bailey is an act of solidarity.
It's inspiring that both performers can keep their cool in the face of criticism for bringing these classic characters to life for a new generation of fans.
The new Disney princesses have shown that the royal franchise is in good hands, and it's inspiring to see the two women support one another despite the hatred directed at them.
For every racist comment made about Bailey and Zegler, there is a strong show of support.
As evidence, she recently posted a movie of her reactions to young girls of colour viewing her Little Mermaid clip with joy, showing that she has chosen to bask in the positivity rather than give in to the negativity.
While Hollywood keeps making baby steps toward diversity in cinema and television, critics will always make themselves heard. This is why it's so crucial for actors of colour to support and stand with one other, as Zegler has done in Snow White.
Audiences who see The Little Mermaid for themselves will quickly forget the criticism after witnessing Bailey's excellent performance in the Disney-released preview.
