Disney recently announced they are casting singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel for the upcoming live-action version of the classic film The Little Mermaid. Here’s everything you need to know about the talented singer, songwriter, actress, and future mermaid.
Halle (right) is one half the singing duo Chloe x Halle with her older sister.
So Who Is This Rising Star?
Many of you may know her as one half of sibling-singing duo Chloe x Halle who rose to fame for their song covers on YouTube. Halle and her older sister Chloe were discovered by Beyonce after covering her song “Pretty Hurts” and Queen Bey signed them to her label, Parkwood Entertainment. They have also opened for Beyoncé and Jay-Z on tour.
Can you imagine having Beyonce as your mentor?!
Even though they might seem like an overnight sensation, Chloe x Halle, who are originally from Atlanta, Georgia, have been posting songs since 2008 when Halle was eight years old and Chloe was ten. Some of their more popular videos include their covers of Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” “All of Me” by John Legend, and “Say Something” by Great Big World and Christina Aguilera. In a rare solo appearance on YouTube, Halle wowed with a cover of Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable.”
Since gaining major notoriety in the past few years, the sisters sang “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in February of 2019 and were also nominated for two Grammys at the 2019 awards. Unfortunately they didn’t win, but they were nominated in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album for their original R&B album “The Kids Are Alright.”
Chloe x Halle singing at the Super Bowl.
And She Acts?!
Halle and Chloe are not only the musicians behind the theme song of Freeform tv show "Grown-ish" (a spin-off of ABC’s "Black-ish"), they are now series regulars on the show. They play classmates of Yara Shahidi’s Zoey at California University. Even though in real life Chloe and Halle are nearly two years apart, they play twin track stars Sky and Jazz Forster on tv.
Here they are as the Forster Twins on Grown-ish.
The Little Mermaid
The movie does not yet have a release date, but is going to be directed by Rob Marshall. He is known for directing movie musicals like Chicago, Into the Woods, and Mary Poppins Returns.
We can't wait to see Halle as Ariel in The Little Mermaid!
There has been some controversy surrounding the announcement of Halle as Ariel in the Disney reboot because she does not have the same hair or skin color as the character in the animated movie. We are very excited to see someone as talented as Halle bring such a beloved character to the big screen. It’s not about what Ariel looks like, it’s about capturing the curious and adventurous spirit of the mermaid, and we can’t wait to see Halle as Ariel!
Tell Us What You Like About Halle
Let us know your favorite songs by Halle, moments you loved her on "Grown-ish", or if you are excited to see her in The Little Mermaid! Leave a note in the comments below.
