Halle Bailey, who was cast as Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ brought her natural locs to the iconic role, which became a powerful moment for little Black girls everywhere to embrace their natural beauty. Excited to make history, Halle insisted on keeping her locs for her debut role, understanding the importance of showing young Black women that being their authentic selves is essential.
In an interview with Ebony, Halle spoke about how crucial it was for her to maintain her natural hair. To match the character, she dyed her locs the signature red color of the original Ariel’s hair. Halle appreciated the support from director Rob Marshall, who encouraged her to keep her locs. She mentioned the importance of having someone validate this choice.
Teaming up with Academy Award-nominated hairstylist Camille Friend, they aimed to maintain the nostalgic feel of the film. Halle explained the significance of Ariel’s red hair and how she wanted to honor that while staying true to herself by keeping her locs.
“I’m a Black woman, and I have locs,” Halle emphasized, highlighting the importance of representation.