It has been more than 2 years since the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid arrived on screen. Many were impressed by Halle Bailey’s version of the iconic mermaid. However, it also came with intense criticism. Some were upset with Disney for casting an actress who looked different from Ariel in the animated movie, and they were vocal in expressing these opinions, often criticizing Bailey on social media. 

Now, looking back in time, Bailey shared a few words about that difficult time in her career.

Halle Bailey recently sat down with The Independent to discuss her newest film, You, Me & Tuscany. During this, she also mentioned The Little Mermaid, as well as the criticism. She explained that she did not let those affect her.

“(The movie was a) beautiful experience for me – and I feel like it taught me to listen to myself and the good voices inside. I learned how to block out the noise,” she said.

The criticism was intense, even leading to the #NotMyAriel hashtag trending on X. Bailey revealed that her family played a crucial role in supporting her during this difficult time. In a conversation with Variety, she recalled that her grandparents often shared their own experiences of discrimination and racism, encouraging her to stay strong. 

However, the criticism did not stop anytime soon. In 2024, the actress addressed her critics, calling on them to stop targeting both her and her family. Unfortunately, this kind of backlash is nothing new. 

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Charithra Chandran, who was cast as Vivi in the live-action adaptation of One Piece, also faced much criticism following her casting.

Many were upset over Charithra Chandran playing the role of Vivi in One Piece. They claimed that she had a different skin tone from Nefertari Vivi of the manga and criticized the casting choice. Soon after the announcement, there was a wave of backlash against the casting choice. 

This came even though One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda himself had approved her for the role. Rob Colletti, who plays Wapol in the live-action adaptation of One Piece, called out the critics for their comments. He explained that Vivi is Egyptian, and Chandran was a perfect choice for the role. 

“Nefertari' is Egyptian. Where is Egypt? The Middle East. The kingdom of Alabasta draws heavily from Middle Eastern and Southern Asian culture,” Colleti said. 

So, despite being a fitting choice for the role, Charithra Chandran still faced heavy criticism. Similarly, Halle Bailey endured backlash for playing Ariel. However, neither actress let that impact their vision and performance.

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What do you think about Halle Bailey's opinion? Let us know in the comments.