2023-05-09 10:15:53
Halle Bailey It will cover a few mouths. Or so it seems after knowing the first reactions among the privileged people who could see The little Mermaid on the night of its Los Angeles opening. Because among the mixed opinions expressed on Twitter -which are divided between those who were not very satisfied and those who applaud the remake as one of Disney’s best- there is a unanimously positive reaction in favor of its protagonist. And in this case, more than in any live-action adaptation from the studio, Such a reaction would hide an incalculable value for Halle Bailey but also for the social earthquake that Disney proposed with his signing.
The premiere was held on the night of Monday, May 8, where Halle Bailey paraded in a mermaid dress, stealing the spotlight and attention of the night. Both before and after the screening. Because the actress and singer would have been so convincing in the role of Ariel that even among the most negative reactions we find praise for her. For example, a journalist from Variety defined the remake as “charming but irregular” while applauding Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy in the role of Ursula as “great”.
A correspondent of Insider said That the movie “not as good as the animated masterpiece” but what “is packed with great performances from Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy.” a journalist from Gizmodo said That the movie “It looks weird and out of place.” but what “Bailey is terrific.” While the editor of Next Best Picture states that the filmrecreates some of the magic of the original through its timeless story and cast.” but singles out Halle Bailey as the star who “amazes with her beautiful voice and empathetic charm.”
Other reviewers have been kinder to the remake as a whole. Like Zoë Rose Bryant who assures that “it maintains the heart and soul of the story we know and love, elevated by a perfect star-making performance from Halley Bailey. It was born to be on the big screen and it is because of it that this version is worth it”. The same journalist even adds in another ‘tweet’ that the audience broke into spontaneous applause after the sequence of Part of him sung by Bailey. “Halle Bailey is pure magic” others write. “Halle Bailey exudes incredible emotion as Ariel and I got chills watching her.” etc.
In this way, the first reactions tell us about a remake that probably divides opinions, either because of the visual aesthetics of the sequences under the sea or because of the comparisons with the legacy of the original film, leaving in the air the doubt if it will manage to demonstrate its worth as a relevant proposal… or not. However, everything seems to indicate that Halle Bailey will end up claiming victory, hovering comfortably above any negative criticism. And in her case, let the first reactions unanimously praise her work as Ariel, she adds invaluable value to her rise in Hollywood because she would cover the mouths of all those who criticized her hiring in the wake of the color of her skin.
Why Halle Bailey It did not go down the same path of roses that Emma Watson or Lily James enjoyed when they were chosen to play Belle and Cinderella because of their resemblance to the animated characters. The young 23-year-old actress and singer had to face the trolls and to the racism of social networks since his signing was known in 2019, being the protagonist of a conversation that demolishes his worth under the fidelity discourse of the original character. A discourse that left aside the importance of diversity, the value that exists in the representation of all kinds of characters for all children in the world -not only those born with white skin- and the offer of opportunities for all artists without regardless of race or color.
when we knew that Halle Bailey was the chosen one, a viral earthquake was experienced with all kinds of reactions that led to the hashtag #NotMyAriel. A priori one could understand the dubious reaction. We did not know her work. Although she was already a singer and part of a successful duo in the US with her sister, she was not an international or generational phenomenon. I personally admit that she didn’t even know who she was.
We could even take with tweezers the reactions that criticized his choice for not sharing physical similarities with the cartoon, from the perspective of protecting the nostalgic image. But this discourse ended when the critics were grown people protecting a memory that no one will ever take away from them, forgetting the importance of embracing a new and diverse platform to create a different legacy for children of all colors and races.
However, the debate shielded by the nostalgic image of the animated character -very white and red-haired- paved the way for excessive racism with criticism and negative reactions that fill the networks every time an image or trailer for the film is released. To be able to navigate it without collapsing his great professional moment, Halle Bailey had the help of her grandparents, who shared with her their stories dealing with racism and discrimination.. “It was inspiring and beautiful to hear her words of encouragement, telling me, ‘You don’t understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all the black and brown girls who are going to see themselves reflected in you,’” explained the actress to Variety.
“People don’t understand that when you’re black there’s a whole community […] It is very important for us to be able to see each other [representados]” later said to The Face. While director Rob Marshall also spoke of the racism received by the signing of Halle, explaining that there was no secondary intention because they auditioned for “all ethnicities”. “We were just looking for the best actor for the role. Spot. The end” said the filmmaker to EW. His purpose, in the end, was precisely what the fight for diversity has been asking Hollywood for decades: finding the right actor regardless of color. They wanted someone”incredibly strong, passionate, beautiful, intelligent and with a lot of fire and joy”. In addition to his voice, of course. And that cocktail ended up demonstrating it Halle Bailey. Simply.
For all this, yes The little Mermaid It doesn’t like it as a film in its entirety, if it convinces the masses or ends up dividing opinions, it will be the hazards of the filmmaking profession. But what Halle Bailey manage to emerge victorious as the most applauded, praised and outstanding name among the first reactions, even among those who did not fall in love with the remake, provides an invaluable speech to defend her choice as Ariel over racism, nostalgia or the color of her skin. Because she would have been the perfect candidate as Rob Marshall suggested. Because she would be an Ariel living up to the legacy of the character that could make new generations of children vibrate (who, like me a few decades ago, couldn’t stop singing their songs like a broken record). And that’s what matters. That new generations enjoy an Ariel that makes them vibrate as the animated version did with the (now) more veteran viewers (or experienced with life, which sounds kinder). And everything points to Halle Bailey he will cover a few mouths with his work.
The little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26.
This article was written exclusively for Yahoo en Español by Cine54.
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