Halle Bailey has faced backlash after it was announced that she had been chosen to play Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

The 1989 classic movie is often described as a breath of fresh air after the company’s difficult period of so-so films.

But after it was revealed that Bailey had been cast as the main character in the live-action remake, she has received negative remarks on social media.

The trailer for the upcoming film has more than two million dislikes on YouTube, with one person commenting: “I’m not rac*st but that’s #NotMyAriel.”

Even though mermaids are fictional, many The Little Mermaid fans just couldn’t comprehend the reasoning behind the casting, with many suggesting other actresses that would be perfect to play the role.

Now, the actress has spoken out about the backlash and said that it didn’t surprise her at all.

In an interview with The Face magazine, she said: “As a Black person, you just expect it and it’s not really a shock anymore.”

She said that her sister Chloe and also Beyonce not to read any comments on social media.

“Honestly, when the teaser came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn’t see any of the negativity.”

The singer addressed the criticism and explained why it is important for her to embrace the mermaid role.

“I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special, and that they should be a princess in every single way. There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be. That reassurance was something that I needed,” she expressed.

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

“What that would have done for me, how that would have changed my confidence, my belief in myself, everything. Things that seem so small to everyone else, it’s so big to us.”

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