Around the Bend (2004)

The Little Mermaid (2023) is a live-action remake of the 1989 animated movie of the same name.

The Little Mermaid (2023) is most notable for the lead female actress, Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel. Halle Bailey is an African American actress playing the main role, a historic first. There are noticeable differences between the design of Ariel from the live-action remake and the animated movie adaptations. In the 1989 version of The Little Mermaid, Ariel's character design was simple; she had pale skin, red hair, blue eyes, an hourglass figure, and red lips. In the live-action remake, Ariel's design is more detailed; her mermaid tail and seashell bikini top are more detailed, shimmering in sparkling blues that Halle replicated on the red carpet premiere of the movie. Ariel having brown skin and an Afrocentric loc hairstyle in a darker shade of red was controversial for people who always have an issue with such things. However, the pure joy of viewers everywhere, especially young black girls and boys, has been the dominant expression of this historic adaptation.

Halle Bailey's voice captures the spirit of Ariel's character; in the animated movie, she has the most beautiful voice, and Bailey captures this in the live-action version. Ariel's song, "Part Of Your World", has new musical notes to give viewers a new take on the beloved classic.