Disney’s latest remake has finally finished production, and to get us all hyped up, Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid, gave us a first glimpse of the titular character with a stunning view to match.
On Tuesday, the actress posted an image on Instagram where she lays on shallow waters, mermaid tail peeking out of its surface, as the sun sets behind her on the rocky beaches of Sardinia, Italy, where production for the film took place. Bailey also accompanied her post with a lengthy caption where she shared her experience on set and her gratitude for getting cast to the highly-anticipated film.
“After auditioning for this film when I was 18 just about to turn 19 , to now finishing filming through a pandemic when i turned 21 ..we have finally made it,” the young actress-singer wrote. “I feel so grateful to have experienced this film in all of its glory.”
“I cannot wait for time to speed up so you all can watch this film because it was made with so much love (plus blood sweat and tears),” she added.
Bailey also thanked her co-stars, including Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric), Javier Bardem (King Triton), Melissa McCarthy (Ursula), and Awkwafina (Scuttle).
The next in Disney’s queue of live-action remakes, The Little Mermaid follows other successful adaptations such as Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Lion King albeit in a completely distinct setting. Last month, a photo from the film’s set was released by the entertainment site Just Jared, which shows Hauer-King’s Prince Eric washed up on shore, looking out into the ocean as Noma Dumezweni’s Carlotta tend to him.
The stolen snapshot and Bailey’s sunset photo are both taken from the beach, effectively keeping fans wanting and waiting for what the underwater scenes would look like.
First released in 1989, The Little Mermaid quickly scored both commercial and critical success for its stunning visuals and catchy original songs. For the remake, Disney will add new music made by Alan Menken, who also penned the songs from the animated classic, with lyrics written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The film is helmed by Rob Marshal, who also serves as a producer alongside John DeLuca and Marc Platt. The Little Mermaid has yet to receive a release date.
