when The little Mermaid, the live action version was announced, I was very intrigued by how the underwater scenes were going to shoot. It seems obvious that completing this challenge would be an incredible challenge for the crew and cast, who have to work in both real and fake waters. During a recent Q&A session, Halle Bailey, who will play Ariel, faced the physical challenges of her role.
The remake of the musical classic is one of the most anticipated Movie of 2023 and attracted a lot of attention. Since its announcement, there has been talk of casting, music and how it would be done. Creating an underwater world is no easy task and requires great physical strength, as Bailey explains in his Youtube video :
I did three months of intense physical training and then every day I was in the air on cables, in a harness or in the water all day. It was super exciting, but I think my body was the hardest and most fit I’ve ever seen in my life. But I think that was the hardest part, having to be so strong.
It looks like he had to train like The Avengers actors have to train to get fit for their movies. In the same video, Bailey explained that he doesn’t shoot much underwater. Most of the work was done with cables in the air and with a tuning fork that allowed him to “swim in the air” simulating Ariel’s underwater world. However, he was able to do some underwater work, he said:
The times he was underwater were crazy. I was in a huge water tank and a working wave machine. I can’t wait for you to see it so you know what I’m talking about, but I felt like I was in the middle of the ocean.
No wonder it took years and more to finish this film. The shooting looked great but extremely strenuous. I also suspect that although they have done a lot of underwater work out of the water, it will take a lot of post-production work to create the underwater kingdom.
While we’ll have to wait until next year to see the film, Disney has released a trailer for The little Mermaid . Bailey explained that the first time she saw herself in the film, it was an “overwhelming” experience and it gets “emotional just talking about it”. This film is truly significant because she is the first black woman to play a live Disney princess. This, plus the amount of physical work she had to put into the film, makes sense that it was emotional.
In the days following the release of the trailer, the cultural impact this film will have became evident. Parents filmed their black daughters reacting to the trailer, which shows how excited the kids were to see each other portraits. Bailey responded to the reactions. saying she was “truly amazed” by the love she was receiving from the children.
On the other hand, it has also received racist reactions from people who don’t believe that a black woman should play the mermaid. But many stars have come to her defense, including fellow Disney Princess Rachel Zegler .
Bailey was supposed to be physically strong for the shoot and is now showing how mentally strong and resilient he is as he awaits the movie’s release.
Source: Cinemablend
