Halle Bailey Was ‘Sobbing Uncontrollably’ When She First Saw Videos Of Young Girls Identifying With Her Version Of Ariel

Halle Bailey is just three days out from the anticipated release of “The Little Mermaid” and, ahead of the big day, she’s recounting her reaction to the overwhelming response of young Black girls who gleefully reacted to an Ariel they identified with.

Back in September 2022, when the first teaser trailer for the Disney live-action remake surfaced, the response to Bailey as Ariel was incredible, with many parents posting their children’s reaction to watching the actress’ onscreen debut as the princess.

“When I saw those for the first time, I just cried. I was sobbing uncontrollably,” Bailey tells Glamour for the magazine’s global May cover story.

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“The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing,” she adds.

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Bailey, who graces four covers — Glamour U.S., Mexico, Germany and Spain — is hoping to “put [her] own stamp” on Ariel “by showing more of her vulnerability.”

In March, the 23-yer-old told Edition Modern Luxury that she’s “really excited” for her version of the film “because we’ve definitely changed that perspective of just [Ariel] wanting to leave the ocean for a boy.

“It’s way bigger than that,” she teased.

Over the past few months, Bailey has encountered sweet young fans, who had priceless reactions to meeting the actress in real life — one who made her cry at Disney World and another at the film’s U.K. premiere.

“The Little Mermaid” splashes into theatres on Friday May 26.