Original Ariel Voice Actress Reacts To Halle Bailey's Portrayal

Jodi Benson, Ariel's original voice actress, has reacted to Halle Bailey's portrayal of the character in a sweet Instagram post. The actress had nothing but good things to say about the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid which just released its first teaser trailer this weekend at the D23 Expo.

“Halle, you were absolutely amazing!” she wrote alongside a photo of Bailey and the film's director Rob Marshall. “I’m SO proud of you and your beautiful performance as Ariel. It was so wonderful to celebrate with your family here at #d23expo.” Benson also wrote that she was "So thrilled!!!!” and “So excited!!!!” about the film. Bailey later responded to the post with a message of gratitude. “Thank you so much,” she wrote. “This means the world to me coming from you! You made Ariel magical for us.”

Benson previously responded to the backlash against Bailey's casting in a statement. “I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters,” she said. “What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart and their spirit is what really counts." In the long-awaited teaser trailer, Bailey is seen fully transformed into Ariel while swimming in the ocean. Towards the end, she sings the beloved track "Part of Your World" from the original animated movie. The film is slated for a May 26, 2023 release date.