Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid has found its lead star.
The person who’ll play Ariel in the new version of the beloved film is Halle Bailey, a 19-year-old R&B star who performs in Chloe X Halle with her older sister.
Bailey went viral in 2013 after catching the eye of Beyonce with a cover of her son “Pretty Hurts”. Three years later, she opened for the singer on the European eg of her Formation World Tour alongside her sister.
Both sisters are actors and star together in US sitcom Grown-ish. They worked with Beyonce again last year, opening on the US portion of her and Jay Z’s On The Run II tour.
In February of this year, Chloe X Halle – who were born in Atlanta, Georgia but raised in Los Angeles, California – sang “America The Beautiful” at the Super Bowl, a highly sought after gig.
At the Grammys, the sisters earned two nominations, for best new artist and best urban contemporary album for their The Kids Are Alright.
Halle said being cast as Ariel was a “dream come true”, with The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall saying she “possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance – plus a glorious singing voice”.
The film – which is expected to cast Melissa McCarthy, Jason Tremblay and Awkwafina – will begin production in January 2020.
