In a blink and you’ll maybe miss it moment, the original Ariel, Jodi Benson, pops up in the new live action version of The Little Mermaid.
In a new interview, the actress opened up about how her cameo came together and what it was like on the set, watching Halle Bailey take over the role of the red-headed mermaid.
Keep reading to find out more…More Here! »
The world premiere of Disney’s The Little Mermaid live-action remake just took place and the first reactions from critics have been revealed.
Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy walked the red carpet for the event on Monday night (May 8) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
They were joined by co-stars Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni and Art Malik, as well as director Rob Marshall and original Ariel actress Jodi Benson, among others.
The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden from interacting with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
The movie will be released in theaters on May 26.
FYI: Halle is wearing a Valdrin Sahiti dress. Javier is wearing Zegna. Jacob is wearing Reiss.
Head inside to read what critics are saying in their first reactions… More Here! »
Jodi Benson is praising Halle Bailey.
The original voice of Ariel in the animated version of The Little Mermaid, Jodi spoke out about Halle after the teaser trailer was unveiled over the weekend during the D23 Expo.
“So thrilled!!! So excited!!!” Jodi wrote on her Instagram Story after watching the teaser herself.
She added, “Halle, you were absolutely amazing! I’m SO proud of you and your beautiful performance as Ariel.”
This is not the first time Jodi has backed Halle taking on the role of Ariel in the live action movie, which will hit theaters next year.
“We need to be storytellers. And no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter our race, our nation, the color of our skin, our dialect, whether I’m tall or thin, whether I’m overweight or underweight, or my hair is whatever color, we really need to tell the story,” she said during a 2019 appearance.
Jodi Benson made a surprise appearance during ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live to introduce the special and we have the video here!
The 58-year-old actress, who voiced the role of Ariel in the 1989 movie The Little Mermaid, appeared on stage during the special on Tuesday (November 5) in Los Angeles.
“Thank you so much! I am so thrilled to be here. I can’t believe it’s been over three decades since I sang ‘Part of Your World’ for our new exciting musical called The Little Mermaid. Tonight, we celebrate our 30th anniversary of one of the most beloved Disney films of all time with a unique musical presentation – half our original film, half live spectacle, but 100% pure Disney magic,” Jodi told the crowd. Watch the sweet video here!
READ MORE: ‘The Little Mermaid Live!’ – Full Cast, Performers, & Song List!
Jodi Benson and Auli’i Cravalho look back at the Sebastian character during The Little Mermaid panel at the 2019 D23 Expo over the weekend in Anaheim, Calif.
The Disney Princess twosome were celebrating the 30th anniversary of the animated flick and opened up about the upcoming concert special, where Auli’i will be performing as Ariel.
During the panel event, Auli’i opened up about how Jodi gave her advice during the last D23 about how portraying a Disney princess would open doors and then asked for even more.
You can check out her answer in the video clip below!
If you missed the exciting news about The Little Mermaid Concert Special, read up on it now!
Earlier in the day, Auli’i was spotted signing autographs for fans.
Jodi Benson is defending Disney’s choice to cast Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live action The Little Mermaid movie.
While speaking to a crowd at Florida Supercon over the weekend, the actress, and original voice of the animated character, shared her thoughts about the casting decision.
“I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters. What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart, and their spirit, is what really counts,” Jodi shared. “And the outside package — cause let’s face it, I’m really, really old — and so when I’m singing ‘Part of Your World,’ if you were to judge me on the way that I look on the outside, it might change the way that you interpret the song. But if you close your eyes, you can still hear the spirit of Ariel.”
She added, “We need to be storytellers. And no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter our race, our nation, the color of our skin, our dialect, whether I’m tall or thin, whether I’m overweight or underweight, or my hair is whatever color, we really need to tell the story.”
Freeform issued a statement over the weekend, defending the decision to cast Halle as Ariel.
Mandy Moore, Taraji P. Henson, and Sarah Silverman team up for the world premiere of their new movie Ralph Breaks the Internet held at El Capitan Theatre on Monday (November 5) in Los Angeles.
They were joined by their co-stars John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Sean Giambrone, Timothy Simons, Ali Wong, GloZell Green, Katie Lowes, Dani Fernandez, and Roger Craig Smith.
More co-stars in attendance included Michael Giacchino, Irene Bedard, Jodi Benson, Auli’i Cravalho, Jennifer Hale, Kate Higgins, Linda Larkin, Paige O’Hara, Pamela Ribon, Ming-Na Wen, and directors Phil Johnston and Rich Moore.
Julia Michaels, Imagine Dragons, Jordan Fisher, Josh Gad, Christina Milian, Melora Hardin, Melissa Joan Hart, David Dastmalchian, Yul Vazquez, and Olivia Sanabia also stepped out to show their support.
Ralph Breaks the Internet takes place six years after the events of Wreck-It Ralph. Ralph and Vanellope, now friends, discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure. Watch the trailer here, and don’t miss it when it hits theaters on November 21!
FYI: Taraji is wearing Carolina Herrera. Sarah is wearing Lela Rose with APM Monaco jewelry. Auli’i is wearing Thai Nguyen Atelier. Ming-Na is wearing Jovani. Julia is wearing Georges Chakra Couture. Olivia is wearing a Gloria Guerrero dress, Steve Madden heels, and Marc Jacobs earrings. Mandy is wearing a Rochas dress and Neil Lane jewels.
65+ pictures inside from the Ralph Breaks the Internet world premiere… More Here! »
