Halle Bailey Said She Doesn't “Pay Attention to Negativity” After "Little Mermaid" Backlash

Sara Delgado

When it was announced that Halle Bailey would be taking on the role of Ariel in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid back in July, some people weren’t happy with the casting choice, but the Grown·ish star is — rightfully — paying haters no mind.

A month after the casting news was first unveiled, during Variety’s 2019 Power of Young Hollywood party, Halle got candid about her role for the first time and the subsequent backlash she suffered, admitting she is paying no attention whatsoever to any negativity people might try to spread online.

“I feel like I’m dreaming and I’m just grateful. I don’t pay attention to the negativity,” Halle admitted in a short interview clip. “I just feel like this role is something bigger than me. It’s going to be beautiful. I’m just so excited to be a part of it.”

And, well, it certainly is. Not only will this movie be a celebrated reimagining of one of Disney’s most iconic classics but it’s also an important milestone in Halle’s career. Best known as part of R&B/pop duo Chloe x Halle with sister Chloe, the highly-anticipated adaptation will also mark the 19-year-old’s first major solo project — a feat that has not escaped her notice.

“It is definitely a little bit nerve-racking because I am the little sister,” Halle recently told Variety about embarking on a project of such magnitude on her own. “I am so used to [us] always going through these challenging moments in our career together, [but] I am beginning to understand that this film is so much bigger than me.”

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue