“She’s Tan Like Me!”: Young Girls React With Joy to ‘The Little Mermaid’ Trailer – National | Globalnews.ca

If there was any doubt that popular media portrayal matters, the Disney live-action reimagining The little mermaid delete them completely.

The film’s first trailer was released on September 9 and featured a brief glimpse of 22-year-old Halle Bailey as Disney Princess Ariel. In the trailer, Bailey sings a snippet of Ariel’s legendary ballad, part of your world.

Young black girls around the world reacted with joy and excitement after seeing a live-action princess who looks like them, spurring a new social media trend of parents filming their children posing react to the trailer.

In a clip shared on Twitter and TikTok, a young fan gaped at the launch of the trailer, exclaiming, “It looks so beautiful!”

When Bailey is revealed to be Ariel in the trailer, the girl’s mother declares, “This is the new Ariel.”

Incredulous and clearly delighted, the little girl replied, “That’s Ariel?”

“Are you sure?” asked the girl, pointing to the TV screen. “Is that really her?”

The video even caught the attention of Bailey herself, who responded to the mother on Twitter, writing, “Ki was just sobbing when I saw that thanks she’s so cute.”

On TikTok, parents were quick to jump on the bandwagon and also shared their kids’ reactions to the new trailer.

A three-year-old girl put her hand to her heart at the sight of the new Ariel and exclaimed, “I think she’s brown!”

With a big smile on her face, the girl continued, “Brown Ariel is cute.”

Another young girl, Maya, sat right in front of her TV and yelled “Mommy!”. when Ariel appeared on screen, and even took it twice to make sure what she was seeing was true.

The girl couldn’t find the words. “I know right!?” Mom reacted from behind the camera.

The girl writhed on the floor in excitement and said, “She’s brown like me. I’m so excited.”

“She’s a black girl!” exclaimed another young fan upon seeing Bailey in the trailer. “They turned Ariel into a black girl,” she repeats, surprised.

Mouth open in shock, the girl sang along to the last note part of your world.

A mother filmed three of her children, two young girls and a boy, and reacted to the trailer.

“She’s black!” one of the girls yells before the siblings erupt in excited chatter. “Finally! A black mermaid!” the same girl smiled and danced a little in her seat.

The siblings applauded at the end of the trailer.

“Girls, come here. I want you to see something,” said another mom, inviting her two daughters to watch the trailer.

The older daughter, wrapped in a blanket, wasn’t sure what they were seeing and said she recognized the tune part of your world.

When Bailey appeared on screen, the older daughter exclaimed, “She’s black! Mom, she’s black!”

“You made a Black Ariel!” she yelled while jumping up and down.

A six-year-old girl watching on an iPad twice declared, “She’s like me!” as I watched Bailey in the trailer.

Even older fans of The little mermaid had strong reactions to the new trailer. A woman dressed in a red wig and an Ariel-inspired cheerleader costume watched the trailer on her phone.

“I’m shaking already,” she laughed as she pressed play.

“Why am I so emotional?” she asked, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m crying,” she said repeatedly, wiping away the tears. “That’s so cute. I’m so excited.”

The new live-action film is a remake of the Disney animated classic The little mermaid from 1989. The story follows a young mermaid, Ariel, who makes a deal with an evil sea witch to grow legs and live on land in order to fall in love with a prince, all at the cost of her voice.

Jonah Hauer-King will play Prince Eric, while several other powerhouse actors will play various roles including Melissa McCarthy as the film’s villain, Ursula, Javier Bardem as Ariel’s father King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay as Ariel’s best fish Friend Flounder and Awkwafina as Seagull Scuttle.

On Monday, Variety reported that the trailer has garnered over 104 million views.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters in May 2023.