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Halle Bailey blended the aquatic influence of The Little Mermaid with classic Hollywood glamour for her premiere look for the Disney film in Los Angeles last night. The actress behind Ariel in the live-action remake stepped out in a stunning silver-blue Valdrin Sahiti column gown with shell detailing on the bodice. The 23-year-old star wore her hair down and naturally chose a glittery blue eyeshadow to make the look pop, with her statement silver stud earrings adding extra sparkle.
Later in the evening, she switched into a glittery green dress and posed with Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the original 1989 animated film:
Halle spoke to reporters at the premiere about playing the role and her relationship with her older sister, Chloë Bailey, who attended the event to celebrate Halle.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so happy that my sister’s here,” Halle told Entertainment Tonight. “It makes me so happy that she’s here. It makes my whole day. She’ll be actually seeing the film for the first time tonight. So, once I get her stamp of approval, I’ll feel good.”
Chloë also spoke with the outlet about Halle’s entrance into the Disney Princess canon, saying, “I’m so freaking proud of her! I have been seeing billboards and magazines of her everywhere, and I am just so freaking proud.” She added, “She didn’t have to do much training for that [playing Ariel]. Like, she’s always been that sweet [girl]…So the stars aligned. I feel like all her life she’s been preparing for this role.”
Halle herself touched on what playing such an iconic character meant to her in an interview with Reuters on the red carpet. “My hopes for this film are just for people to take away such love and joy and happiness when they leave and especially for all of the Black and brown little…boys and girls to be able to see themselves being represented on such a big scale,” she said. “I’m just honored to be in this position.”
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.