Halle Bailey is speaking candidly about how she handled the racist backlash that followed her casting as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
While speaking with The Independent, Bailey described filming the movie as “a beautiful experience.”
She explained that the controversy ultimately strengthened her mindset.
“I learned how to listen to myself and the good voices inside. I learned how to block out the noise,” Bailey said. When Disney first announced her casting, online criticism quickly turned into racially charged backlash. Despite that, Bailey stayed focused on the work.
“It Was Actually Freeing”
Bailey shared that being at the center of such a polarized public conversation changed her perspective. “It was actually freeing to be in the middle of this conversation where so many different opinions were coming in, and they were so opposite from one another,” she explained.
Her experience entering the entertainment industry at a young age helped shape that response.
She said developing a strong sense of self early on allowed her to navigate criticism without letting it define her.
Learning Not to Internalize Criticism
According to PEOPLE, Bailey also spoke about handling audience feedback while promoting her upcoming film, You, Me, & Tuscany.
She emphasized that she no longer takes public criticism personally.
“It’s nice that we get to be on screen and play make-believe and people go to the theater and — they love it, or they don’t,” she said.