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Lynda Carter Weighs In On ‘Little Mermaid’ Controversy: ‘People Are Mad?’
Actress and activist Lynda Carter weighed in on recent controversy surrounding Halle Bailey's casting as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid."

Lynda Carter Weighs In On ‘Little Mermaid’ Controversy: ‘People Are Mad?’

Wonder woman comes to the rescue once again!

Lynda Carter, 71, attempted to get down to the bottom of a recent controversy in popular culture that has inevitably generated a great deal of conversation on social media.

The entertainer asked her Twitter followers a question surrounding the live-action remake of the 1989 animated Disney classic “The Little Mermaid,” starring Halle Bailey as Ariel.

Carter’s question pertains to the controversy currently permeating certain corners of the internet surrounding Bailey’s casting as the iconic mermaid. Bailey, who is Black, has been affiliated with the project since 2019 and is now facing a fresh round of criticism following the release of the film’s trailer. According to the Daily Beast, the teaser trailer was released over the weekend.

What Does Bailey Have To Say About The Controversy?

 

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A post shared by Halle Bailey (@hallebailey)

Unfortunately, the criticism has reached the 22-year-old singer and actress’ radar.

Bailey touched on the subject in a recent interview with Variety in the publication’s “Young Hollywood” issue, wherein she also graces the cover.

According to the outlet, Bailey leaned on her family members while processing the situation.

In response to the situation, Bailey said, “It’s important to have a strong support system around you. It’s hard to carry the weight of the world on your own.”

Bailey also shared the words of comfort her grandparents offered.

She continued, “It was an inspiring and beautiful thing to hear their words of encouragement,” she began. “telling me, ‘You don’t understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all of the little Black and brown girls who are going to see themselves in you.”

Bailey’s Casting Is A Big Example Of Representation For Countless Young Fans!

 

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A post shared by Halle Bailey (@hallebailey)

See themselves in Bailey, they have!

Not every corner of the internet is responding negatively to a Black woman being cast as Ariel.

Since the teaser trailer’s release, countless parents have filmed and posted videos of their kiddos seeing Bailey’s Ariel on screen!

According to NBC News, one young viewer exclaimed, “Mommy! she’s brown like me!”

This particular TikTok video is hardly the only one of its kind; the outlet also reported there are hashtags being used across social media outlets to promote “the importance of diverse casting in children’s media.”

Bailey’s casting as Ariel is also special for another reason close to her heart: she also mentioned her strong childhood love of the original film in her aforementioned interview with Variety!

Lynda Carter Asks An Important Question

People are mad that The Little Mermaid is Black? The lady who is also a fish? Who lives under the sea? Whose best friend is a talking crab?

— Lynda Carter (@RealLyndaCarter) September 13, 2022

Just like the aforementioned viral movement of using hashtags such as “#representationmatters” to draw attention to a vital situation, Carter utilized her Twitter account to weigh in on the criticism surrounding Bailey’s lead role.

Carter tweeted, “People are mad that The Little Mermaid is Black? The lady who is also a fish? Who lives under the sea? Whose best friend is a talking crab?”

She even amended her tweet in the replies, writing, “Sorry, a singing crab.”

The tweet has gained a lot of traction since it was originally posted and has also generated a lot of like-minded responses.

One fan tweeted, “Right? After 30 years, Disney can reboot however they want to. I love the new look of the movie. Might as well complain that it is a live-action instead of a cartoon as well!”

Another tweeted, “Nobody has ever seen a mermaid in real life so who knows what color their gills/skin are. Nobody can prove it “should” be anything in particular.”

There were also plenty of responses praising Carter for speaking out!

“The Little Mermaid,” starring Halle Bailey, will be released in theaters next May!