Halle Bailey had to push herself 'past what I thought I could ever do' in 'Little Mermaid'

If the first thing you notice in the "The Little Mermaid" opening scene isn't Halle Bailey's abs, you're lying.

"Well, the six pack is gone now, but it was there when I was filming," Bailey jokes during a video chat with USA TODAY for Friday's release of the new live-action movie.

Taking on the role of a beloved and ethereal Disney princess may seem like light work to us commoners, but Bailey, 23, assures it was anything but. Aside from missing her older sister and "right arm" Chlöe Bailey while filming (it was the first time in their lives they'd been split up), one thing the Grammy-nominated artist found particularly challenging about playing Ariel was the physicality of it all.

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Halle Bailey's transformation into Ariel was physically and mentally intense

All the things Bailey had to do in preparation for transforming into Ariel, from the swimming to the acting and the singing, was physically, mentally and spiritually intense, she says.

"Looking back, I'm really proud of myself, but it was like it was blood, sweat and tears. ... I've been pushing myself to the limits, past what I thought I could ever do in my life," says Bailey, who next stars as Nettie in the Oprah- and Steven Spielberg-produced "The Color Purple" (expected Dec. 25).

During filming, the "Ungodly Hour" singer would start her days at the crack of dawn. She'd be in the gym every day at 5 a.m. for a workout, then make her way over to stunts, where she would spend hours in the air in a harness.

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"I'm trying to hold myself up with my core while singing and while acting and trying to look like I'm not shaking because it's like a workout I'm doing, like a plank. So it was all of the things, trying to weave them together and look like, 'This is natural, this is a normal day, I swim in the ocean every day,' " the actress says.

Even director Rob Marshall praised the actress' athleticism while filming (she did play an Olympic track star on TV's "Grown-ish," after all).

"You have to have a great core strength for that kind of thing," Marshall says. "They did a lot of training prior, so they'd be ready. She's a great swimmer, we didn't even know that till after we cast her. And also she's a runner. She's just a natural athlete. So is Javier (Bardem as King Triton) and so is Melissa (McCarthy as Ursula). I was lucky that we had great people working with us. Great athletic people who understand movement beautifully."

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Halle Bailey and Chlöe Bailey had never been separated until 'The Little Mermaid' began filming

Though being apart from Chlöe − her literal other half in the R&B duo Chlöe x Halle − proved to be as trying as the demands of being Ariel, the sisters still found a way to mark milestones together.

Halle celebrated her 21st birthday while filming "The Little Mermaid," and though it was a remarkable experience sharing that moment with her castmates and crew, there was one key person missing: her sister.

"We did our own celebration over FaceTime, of course, but her and my baby brother Branson gave me the most beautiful gift, who is now my angel baby, my child, my cat Poseidon," Bailey explains. "They got me a kitten for my 21st birthday. My brother is like really into Greek mythology, and so he's like, 'You should name him Poseidon because technically, that's Triton's father and he would be Ariel's grandfather.' ... So now I have a little baby cat. He's 2 years old now."

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How Halle Bailey stayed positive amid backlash to her casting as Ariel

Though Bailey's casting as Ariel was historic and left many fans overjoyed, the young actress faced racist commentary and backlash. Being met with hate during a life-changing moment isn't easy for anyone, let alone a teen (she was 19 at the time), but Bailey says being part of the new "Little Mermaid" kept her positive, motivated and inspired.

"What truly strikes my heart and makes me just cry are seeing the reactions of the babies and the children and the beautiful Black, brown boys and girls who see themselves in this character, in this new version of Ariel," Bailey says. "And that honestly, is what I focus on, what makes me the happiest. Everyone who knows me knows I'm obsessed with kids. I can't wait to have my own.

"These (reaction) videos just make me feel like I've done a good job. When they're rooting for me, I'm like, I don't need anyone else to root for me."

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The teasers of Bailey as Ariel have moved children (and adults) to buy Barbie dolls in her likeness, count down the days to the film's premiere, and come up to the actress at Disney World and envelope her in a long hug.

The positive reactions have even Bailey in disbelief at times and the emotions hit her in waves, she says. She recalls driving down Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles seeing "Little Mermaid" billboards and thinking to herself, "Is this really happening?"

Bailey hopes people leave the theater feeling inspired and unafraid to pursue their dreams.

"No matter how dangerous or scary it may be getting through it, in the end, you'll be happy that you spoke up for yourself," Bailey says. "You knew what you wanted and went after what you wanted."

Contributing: Brian Truitt

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Halle Bailey says 'Little Mermaid' was physically, mentally intense