Halle Bailey, the one-half of the Chloe x Halle duo, is praised by director Rob Marshall for possessing 'rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance' needed for the live-action film.
- July 4, 2019
AceShowbiz - R&B singer Halle Bailey is set to make her feature film acting debut as the star of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" remake.
The Chloe & Halle bandmember, who is signed to Beyonce Knowles' Parkwood Entertainment record label, will help to bring Ariel to life onscreen for director Rob Marshall's live action adaptation, a revamp of the 1989 animated classic.
"After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle 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," Marshall shares in a statement.
Bailey's casting is the first to be officially announced for the project, with Melissa McCarthy in talks to portray villainous sea witch Ursula, while the "Room" star Jacob Tremblay and "Crazy Rich Asians" actress Awkwafina are also reportedly in negotiations to voice tropical fish Flounder and seagull Scuttle, respectively.
"The Little Mermaid (2020)", about an underwater princess who falls in love with a human prince, will feature many of the original songs from the beloved film, while composer Alan Menken will also be teaming up with "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to create a few new tunes for the soundtrack.
Miranda will also serve as a producer on the film, alongside his "Mary Poppins Returns" director Marshall.
