Ariel wanted to be where the people are — so she went! Halle Bailey, the star of The Little Mermaid live-action remake that hit theaters this weekend, was shown making her own visit to the movies, walking around on those — what do you call them? — feet, right past oblivious fans who were hilariously taking selfies in front of a huge, wall-sized advertisement for the movie. The actress shared a video of her undercover operation on social media, as she thanked everyone for helping to make The Little Mermaid No. 1 at the box office this weekend.
Halle Bailey showed out in several Ariel-themed looks ahead of her movie’s release, but when she arrived at the theater for a Memorial Day weekend viewing, she was sporting a much stealthier wardrobe of all black, including a long leather jacket. No wonder fans didn’t recognize her! Check out the funny video below:
@hallebailey ♬ Part of Your World - From "The Little Mermaid" - Halle
Facemasks have proven to be an effective way for celebrities to maintain a little more anonymity, and coupled with her sunglasses, Halle Bailey was able to waltz undetected into the movie theater to catch a glimpse of herself on the big screen. I can’t help but imagine how those fans in the video would react to knowing that she was RIGHT THERE as they snapped their pics. One fan stood with her arms out, showing off The Little Mermaid display, while another took a selfie with the huge poster.
It looks like the Ariel portrayer walked in toward the beginning of the movie — after the lights went out — which was a good plan if she was trying to remain incognito. Her video ended before she and her companion got all the way inside, but hopefully she did get to sit down and enjoy seeing the results of all of her hard work.
The grown-ish actress certainly wasn’t alone in her choice to see The Little Mermaid — the latest in a number of upcoming live-action Disney remakes. The movie from Rob Marshall, with music by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, more than quadrupled the earnings of this weekend’s No. 2 finisher at the box office. Halle Bailey’s film brought in $95.5 million, while Fast X dropped to second place in its second weekend with $23 million. It was a good start for the Disney movie in a summer filled with family-friendly options.
The Little Mermaid faced some criticism ahead of its premiere for some of the changes made for the remake, including the development of Prince Eric’s story. Also, the 1989 film’s soundtrack is still beloved by many, so fans were wary of tweaks made to some of the lyrics of the classic songs; however, even the 1989 Ariel voice actress Jodi Benson agreed those alterations were necessary. In the end, even while critics’ responses to the new songs were middling, CinemaBlend’s Corey Chichizola was among many who praised Halle Bailey’s performance, as he called her a “bonafide superstar.”
The film is in theaters now, so if you want to be part of that world (all-black attire and sunglasses optional), see if buying a 3-D ticket to The Little Mermaid is right for you. Also check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what else is hitting the big screen this year — including a number of big releases between now and Labor Day.
