Voiceover artistJodi Bensonis sharing her thoughts on the live-action remake ofThe Little Mermaid. In the original animated version, released by Disney in 1989, the role of Ariel was played by Benson. She’d go on to reprise the role for the movie’s sequels, as well as its animated series spinoff. As the original Ariel’s voice, Benson will forever be associated with the character, as willHalle Baileyfor being the one to bring the mermaid to life in live-action.
In a new chat withTHR, Benson shares her reasoning why she believes Bailey is the “ideal choice” to take over as Ariel for the live-action remake. She clearly doesn’t have enough kind things to say about Bailey, offering complete support for her in the role. Benson also says how she’s “proud” of Bailey for what she’s done with the part. As Benson explains:
“Her pure spirit, the joy, the love, her unbelievable vulnerability, her authenticity, her bravery, her courage… it’s just beautiful. Beautiful telling of the Ariel story. I’m so proud of her.”
Benson also took a moment to remember Howard Ashman, one of the producers of the animated movie who co-wrote the original songs with Alan Menken. Ashman, whose version of “Under the Sea” won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, passed away in 1991. He’d been diagnosed with AIDS during the production ofThe Little Mermaid, but continued to work on the movie’s music despite his illness. Benson wanted to pay tribute, noting that this new film would not exist if not for Ashman.
“It makes me think of Howard. The whole reason that we’re here tonight is because of Howard Ashman. It really is. So, I’m just so thrilled.”
Related:The Little Mermaid: Limited Edition Doll of Halle Bailey’s Ariel Now Available from Disney
Song Lyrics Have Been Updated for The Little Mermaid
Some songs have had slight changes made with their lyrics upon getting remade for the new version ofThe Little Mermaid. That even includes “Kiss the Girl,” which was also nominated for the Oscar that “Under the Sea” won. Menken returned for the new film to craft the music alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, and it’s been revealed how certain lyrics were removed to avoid offending some filmgoers. Benson shared her thoughts on these changes as well, saying it was the right decision as society has grown since 1989.
“I think anytime that we start to grow, and time is starting to pass, we need to keep up with 2023. We really do. That’s the beauty of when you can reimagine and retell a story with a twist. You can make it contemporary. You can make it work for where we are in our world right now, and I think it was really smart. Really smart of them to do that.”
The Little Mermaidwill be released in movie theaters on July 27, 2025. Along with Bailey in the lead role, the film also stars Jonah-Hauer King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, and Noma Dumezweni. you’re able to view the official trailer below.
