MOVIES
Stephanie Mills sends support to Halle Bailey amid ‘The Little Mermaid’ casting backlash
The 66-year-old Broadway icon took to social media to share her support for the Disney remake.
Stephanie Mills is standing strong when it comes to her pride for Halle Bailey landing the role of Ariel in the live action ‘The Little Mermaid.’
The 66-year-old Broadway icon took to social media to share a screenshot of a letter she wrote to Bailey when it was announced she would be leading the upcoming Disney film.
Despite being a talented singer and actress Bailey faced a lot of racial backlash due to the fact that some people were offended that the original Ariel was white.
Mills took the chance to share her similar experience with Bailey, about when she was cast as Dorothy in the Broadway musical ‘The Wiz.’
“I was told Judy Garland ‘is turning over in her grave,’ " Mills wrote in her letter. “All because a little black girl was playing a role that was once played by a white girl.”
“It’s sad to see the same thing is happening to this beautiful, talented, smart and intelligent actress.”
Mills tells Bailey to “keep your head up high”
After explaining her own experience with racial backlash in the entertainment industry, Mills gave ‘The Little Mermaid’ actress some key advice that helped her.
“Halle, God put you in this place and time ... So let your light shine,” she wrote. “Hold your head up high, walk in your peace, and celebrate the greatness that you are.”
“They told me I would never make it on Broadway, they told me I couldn’t sing, they told me I was [too] dark, I have watched and listened to ‘they’ try to tell you why you shouldn’t and couldn’t,”
“I am so proud of you and how you handled all the naysayers. We have never met, however I have been in your shoes. Baby girl, let them know that this #LittleMermaid is made of teflon.”
‘The Little Mermaid’ tops the box office.
Despite the hate and negativity the actress received, the live action Disney film ended up topping the domestic box office over the Memorial Day weekend.
The remake of the hit 1988 film earned around $117.5 million over the four-day holiday weekend.
That makes it the fifth highest Memorial Day debut, with last year’s ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ setting the new record by making $160.5 million during its launch.
Although the film has done well in the USA, it has earned $68.1 million from more than 51 markets, including countries like France, the U.K., Mexico, Australia, Brazil and South Korea, which is somewhat underwhelming.