Halle Bailey's Emotional Moment With Young "The Little Mermaid" Fan Has The Internet In Tears

BY Erika Marie 1.7K Views
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Halle visited Disney World and was *tightly* embraced by a little girl who couldn't believe she was meeting a Disney princess.

We'll soon receive the new live-action The Little Mermaid, and it's clear Halle Bailey's inclusion in the film has touched fans. When Disney first announced that the songbird would tackle the lead role of red-haired Ariel, there were mixed reactions. One side of the fence celebrated Bailey in her new role, while the other condemned the film for adding a Black Ariel. Disney purists believed the character should remain porcelain-skinned, and racists made their voices heard on social media.

Throughout it all, the mild-mannered singer took the criticism in stride. Her support system, including her equally-successful sister Chlöe Bailey, defended her against naysayers, as did their supporters. Despite the backlash, Halle acknowledged the weight taking on this role would carry, especially for young Black girls looking for another Disney princess who looked like them. One such pint-sized fan ran into Bailey during a trip with Disney World, and the precious moment brought tears to the eyes of viewers.

Halle Bailey Hugs Excited Fan

On Instagram, Halle shared bits and pieces from her trip to the Magical Kingdom. In one clip, the singer held a little girl who clasped onto Bailey tightly. A woman off-camera, presumably a relative, told the singer that Ariel was her favorite princess. When it seemed that Halle attempted to end the embrace, it only elicited laughs because the little girl wasn't ready to let go. The only thing that could divert her attention was questioning her about a photo. Even then, she only turned her head and still kept a tight grip on her new favorite Ariel.

"Met this beautiful baby Mila Rose who made me cry 🥺," Bailey wrote alongside the video. "She just hugged me so tight ❤️." Elsewhere, another fan was thrilled when they stopped for the parade and captured Halle Bailey grooving with Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. The singer joined the first Black Disney princess in her car as they rode through the crowd and danced to the film's favorites.

Taking It All In

In a recent feature for Edition Modern Luxury, Bailey spoke about her first reactions to the public's pushback. “Seeing the world’s reaction to it was definitely a shock," she said. "But seeing all the babies’ reactions, all the brown and Black young girls, really tore me up emotionally.” Further, Bailey stated, “It’s honestly been such a crazy ride, and I genuinely feel shocked and honored and grateful to be in this position. A lot of times, I have to pinch myself and be like, is this real life?” Check out videos of Halle Bailey's Disney World trip above.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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