Halle Bailey Says She ‘Doesn’t Feel Pressure Anymore’ Over Starring in ‘The Little Mermaid’

Assuming the role of Ariel in the live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid is Halle Bailey‘s biggest acting look to date. But despite the apprehension — and at times, backlash — that comes with portraying such an iconic character in the Disney franchise, the “Do It” singer insists she’s cool as a cucumber leading up to the film’s May 2023 release.

“I don’t feel any pressure anymore,” Bailey told E! News on Tuesday (Nov. 15) when asked about playing the titular character. “I think that before I started filming, I did feel some nerves naturally because the film is so important to so many people.” The 22-year-old added that leaning on her close friends and family, including big sister Chloe, helped her overcome any fears she had.

Perhaps the most “touching” part about getting to play Ariel, the actress revealed, was getting to see the reaction little girls had to her performance of “Part of Your World” when it was released in September.

“It just makes me cry,” she shared. “The fact that all these little Black and Brown babies are going to be able to feel like they’re being represented is really special to me. I know that if I had that when I was younger, it would have changed a whole lot for me and my perspective on who I am as an individual.”

In addition to feeling “super honored” to play a Disney princess, the star added, “I’m just really grateful to kind of be in this position and I just hope everybody really enjoys the film.”

The Little Mermaid live action remake will be released on May 26, 2023. Revisit the trailer — in which Bailey sings “Part of Your World” — below.