Ariel controversy?!

[cdurham1]

I am a Disney fan and read the Disboards, watch vlogs, read articles, etc. I have yet to see other Disney fans voice a concern over Ariel in the new Little Mermaid. Yet, on social media, there seems to be a story being formed that there is some huge backlash.

It seems like this is one of those issues that really isn't an issue. Just made up, pretend controversy to get people rowled up? Am I crazy?

 

[Moliphino]

You get the same complaints for any show/movie that goes for diverse casting (like the new GOT and LOTR shows, the upcoming Percy Jackson show, etc.).

 

[gmi3804]

This guy sums it up.

 

[BrianL]

There was cotroversy over the initial casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, but also once the clip of the Halle singing came out, some fans started to bash Jodi Benson, the original voice, and tried to insinuate that the new version blows her's away. For some reason people really want to pick sides here, but Jodi has been supportive of Halle and the two are on good terms. There's no need for all that. The only critizism I really have is I wish that they had made her hair more red - I feel like it really needs to pop, but it doesn't. Oh well.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Any publicity is good publicity.

I believe Disney purposely chose an actor of colour so they knew it would have stirred people up and got the free publicity they needed.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There was cotroversy over the initial casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, but also once the clip of the Halle singing came out, some fans started to bash Jodi Benson, the original voice, and tried to insinuate that the new version blows her's away. For some reason people really want to pick sides here, but Jodi has been supportive of Halle and the two are on good terms. There's no need for all that. The only critizism I really have is I wish that they had made her hair more red - I feel like it really needs to pop, but it doesn't. Oh well.

That's actually really funny because I was 100% pleased with the casting, until the vocal came out, which I think is horrible. She has an amazing voice, but the riffs and runs are inappropriate in a song that's meant to showcase vulnerability and naivete.

I believe Disney purposely chose an actor of colour so they knew it would have stirred people up and got the free publicity they needed.

Of course they did. It also shields them from criticism.

Bigots will hate this movie, and some people will criticize it for legitimate reasons. The existence of the bigots allows Disney to dismiss the legitimate criticism as if ALL negativity around the film is the result of the bigotry.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I find it so funny that people are getting so worked up over another live action remake that'll most likely end up being mediocre (or worse case scenario, awful like Lion King). I see people making the same tired arguments about how it doesn't "make sense" for Ariel to be black when mermaids aren't even real.

 

[CynBeth]

I have no issue with them using a POC just do not like who was picked.
I have not been a fan of hers since I can’t remember exactly the story but however many years ago either she caused an accident or someone close to her did due to either running a red light or not obeying a stop sign which she said was no big deal. Luckily no one was hurt but I did not like her attitude.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I find it so funny that people are getting so worked up over another live action remake that'll most likely end up being mediocre (or worse case scenario, awful like Lion King).

The problem is that the people who criticize it for sucking (assuming it sucks) will be tarred and feathered as racists. It's happening with Rings of Power. Maybe people don't like Rings of Power because it's lousy. Some are legit just racists. But the media don't care. Anyone who dislikes it for any reason is labeled "racist," full stop.

I see people making the same tired arguments about how it doesn't "make sense" for Ariel to be black when mermaids aren't even real.

I agree with this.

 

[BrianL]

The problem is that the people who criticize it for sucking (assuming it sucks) will be tarred and feathered as racists. It's happening with Rings of Power. Maybe people don't like Rings of Power because it's lousy. Some are legit just racists. But the media don't care. Anyone who dislikes it for any reason is labeled "racist," full stop.


I agree with this.

Yeah, but a LOT of the criticism starts with taking issue with the casting on a lot of these projects. It's one thing to make legitimate criticism, but by far the majority aren't actually doing that.

 

[kanerf]

Hans Christian Anderson does not mention the race of the mermaids, after all they are mermaids, ie, not human. Same with the elves in LOTR, no mention of their race by Tolkien, they are elves, again, not human.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The problem is that the people who criticize it for sucking (assuming it sucks) will be tarred and feathered as racists. It's happening with Rings of Power. Maybe people don't like Rings of Power because it's lousy. Some are legit just racists. But the media don't care. Anyone who dislikes it for any reason is labeled "racist," full stop.


I agree with this.

Yeah I agree somewhat. I have zero faith in any of these live action remakes but I have absolutely no issue with Halle Bailey as Ariel. If anything I think the casting for Ursula and Scuttle are worse (but that's more a personal preference thing truthfully). The discussions I've seen about this movie seem to mostly lean in the bigoted side though and those people should absolutely be called out. Like I was reading a discussion on another Disney fan site and people kept mentioning that the original takes place in Denmark. Eric's kingdom has palm trees in the background and the movie never says it did????

 

[BrianL]

Yeah I agree somewhat. I have zero faith in any of these live action remakes but I have absolutely no issue with Halle Bailey as Ariel. If anything I think the casting for Ursula and Scuttle are worse (but that's more a personal preference thing truthfully). The discussions I've seen about this movie seem to mostly lean in the bigoted side though and those people should absolutely be called out. Like I was reading a discussion on another Disney fan site and people kept mentioning that the original takes place in Denmark. Eric's kingdom has palm trees in the background and the movie never says it did????

Right. The people criticising it now haven't even seen the movie - it's not even finished. That's how you can tell what their motivations really are. Now, I also am not really super excited or interested in this movie, but that's because it's yet another remake - but I do recognize that it could also be good. Some people have already made up their mind that it won't be, and the reasons for that are perfectly clear.

What they should have done, is done a VERY different take on The Little Mermaid story, and not even use the same names, just a mermaid and a prince and a whole new set of circumstances - but audiences have proven that this approach likely wouldn't be as successful as a copy/paste of the original.

 

[bcla]

I have no issue with them using a POC just do not like who was picked.
I have not been a fan of hers since I can’t remember exactly the story but however many years ago either she caused an accident or someone close to her did due to either running a red light or not obeying a stop sign which she said was no big deal. Luckily no one was hurt but I did not like her attitude.

She's 22. Are you thinking of the right person?

The only thing that comes to mind for me is Brandy Norwood, who ran into someone in her vehicle when traffic got bad but she didn't stop until it was too late. But that was in 2006 when Bailey was maybe 5.

 

[RamblingMad]

This is typical US polarization today. Nothing new to see here. Now, either the movie will be good or not. We won't know until it comes out.

 

[Moliphino]

She's 22. Are you thinking of the right person?

The only thing that comes to mind for me is Brandy Norwood, who ran into someone in her vehicle when traffic got bad but she didn't stop until it was too late. But that was in 2006 when Bailey was maybe 5.

Probably thinking of Halle Berry. No, they do not have a 56 year old woman playing Ariel.

 

[CynBeth]

Probably thinking of Halle Berry. No, they do not have a 56 year old woman playing Ariel.

Yes that is who I was referring to I thought I she was in it I probably got confused with something else.

 

[OppR2nist]

I love it when people try to criticize it based on her race. It's a wide open opportunity to make them look like the morons they are. Use these when the topics come up:

• "Hans Christian Anderson was from Denmark, so she can't be black.": The Disney animated movie was set closer to the Mediterranean. Guess what's just south of that? Africa. Dark skinned mermaid actually would make more sense.
• "She lives under the water. Less sun gets down there. There's no reason for her skin to be dark.": Have you seen the multitude of colors in the ocean, including jet black? Besides, this is coastal water. Where do you think she lives, the Mariana Trench!?
• "The original character and the actor playing her were both white.": Who cares?
• "It doesn't make sense.": It's a movie about a half girl/half fish who dreams of walking on land. There's a Jamaican crab. The giant octopus lady gets spiked by a boat. We left sense behind a long time ago.

Seriously, don't let the boneheads win.

 

[gmi3804]

Actually, the no sun argument is pretty accurate. We’re all descended from the same place in central Africa (we’re all related by sixty lines); as people emigrated north, melanin in skin lightened, making dark pigmentation less necessary for protection from the sun’s rays. Remember, there’s not k e race: the human race.

 

[lowlight]

I love it when people try to criticize it based on her race. It's a wide open opportunity to make them look like the morons they are. Use these when the topics come up:

I think that was the OP’s point- this topic won’t come up, because the average person in real life doesn’t care, it’s just some fake online controversy between a bunch of social media bots. Same with the Rings of Power, I didn’t even realize the race thing was an issue until I went looking for reviews to make sure I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t enjoying it. Almost every social media “controversy” is fake or amplified for clicks.