'The Little Mermaid': Watch the Heartwarming Reactions of Kids on 'Black Ariel'

Parents of young Black girls are uploading videos of their children's amazement at the teaser for Disney's upcoming live-action "Little Mermaid," starring Halle Bailey as Ariel.

Her video is one of several that have been posted on TikTok and Twitter, with parents using hashtags such as #representationmatters to highlight the significance of diversity casting in children's media.

Disney Reveals 'Little Mermaid' Teaser

Over the weekend, Disney revealed a teaser trailer for the film at D23. On YouTube, the trailer has over 11 million views, according to NBC News.

However, its release sparked racist reaction online, which originally arose in 2019 upon news of Bailey's casting, from some individuals who stated Disney is "too woke" for casting a Black character in the film.

Ariel, a fictional mermaid, is shown as a white, red-haired woman in the 1989 animated picture. In one of the response videos shared by TikTok user Precious Avery, a youngster called Emery sits on the couch but stands up as Bailey appears on screen.

In the video, Emery exclaims, "I think she's brown!" "Brown Ariel is cute." TikTok user callmedarii shared a video of her children' pleasure at seeing Ariel. "That's why representation is important! We can't wait to see this," she captioned the video.

"Is Ariel truly black?" a small child asks in a TikTok video submitted by jendayis682. "In this 'Little Mermaid,' she will be," answers the individual recording the footage.

Director Rob Marshall said at D23 that the new "Little Mermaid" will have four more songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, more intricate mermaid tails, and a Black princess. Marshall stated that the live-action remake will "respect the original" animation feature while also "bringing some depth" to the reworked tale.

Jodi Benson Praises Halle Bailey

Meanwhile, Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel in 'The Little Mermai', has given her permission to the new Disney live-action production. The 60-year-old actress and singer praised new Ariel star Halle Bailey, calling her performance "amazing."

Per Metro, her comment came after video of Halle Bailey performing the mermaid's iconic song, Part of Your World, surfaced in the film's new trailer at D23, the Disney expo. After seeing a peek of the character, many Disney fans remarked on the influence the singer's new role will have on youngsters watching the film.

The next Little Mermaid film is a reworking of the 1989 animated classic, which follows the narrative of Ariel falling in love with human Prince Eric, who will be played by Jonah Hauer-King in the upcoming live-action picture. Melissa McCarthy plays the wicked Ursula, while Javier Bardem plays Ariel's father, King Triton, PEOPLE reported.

However, for decades, Disney only regarded white characters to be worthy of inclusion in their stories. It wasn't until the 1990s that the company began to include non-white princesses like as Pocahontas, Mulan, Aladdin's Jasmine, and Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. And it wasn't until Tiana in The Princess and the Frog in 2009 that Disney brought a Black princess to the canon.

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