Young Black Girls See Black Ariel In 'Little Mermaid' Trailer: VIDEO - Comic Sands

Home>
Entertainment>

        Viral Videos Of Young Black Girls Seeing A Black Ariel In 'Little Mermaid' Trailer Has Everyone In Tears
    

        Walt Disney Studios / YouTube; @Candace82661097 / Twitter
    
By Ben AcostaSep 14, 2022
Ben Acosta
Ben Acosta is an Arizona-based fiction author and freelance writer. In his free time, he critiques media and acts in local stage productions.
 See Full Bio 
Top Stories
AI Powered

        People Share The Most Bada** Thing Their Dad Has Ever Done
    

        Sorbo gripes about Vikings cheerleaders
    
Parents have been sharing their daughters’ reactions to the new trailer for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and the results are adorable.
The new film stars Halle Bailey in the title role, and the crowd at Disney's D23 Expo went wild for a teaser featuring Ariel singing “Part of Your World.”
It was later released online.
The Little Mermaid - Official Teaser Trailerwww.youtube.com

Young black girls who see the trailer are positively glowing over the representation. Need proof? Look no further than social media, where parents have shared their daughters’ reactions to the reveal of Halle Bailey as Ariel.
\u201cThe trailer for #TheLittleMermaid brought her so much joy #blackgirljoy #HalleBailey #HalleBailey @Disney  great job\u201d
 — Candace (@Candace)
        1662859477
\u201chttps://t.co/zR9QLNuSkG\u201d
 — Lai\ud83d\udc94 (@Lai\ud83d\udc94)
        1662935462
\u201cIf you aren\u2019t on tiktok watching little black girls reacting to Ariel being black, then you are wasting your time. Lost track of how many tears I\u2019ve shed!\u201d
 — Kerri (@Kerri)
        1663028265
@preciousaveryI love this for my 3 years old 🤎 #littlemermaid  #toddlersoftiktok #hallebailey #girlpower
@thedfwdadNever thought a movie trailer could make me cry but then I saw @halle and knew how it would make my kids feel. Thanks @disney for making my kids feel seen. Can’t wait to be at Disney World in 12 days! #disney #interacialadoption #representationmatters #littlemermaid #thelittlemermaidtrailer #partofyourworld #blackgirlmagic #girldad #d23 #disneyadult
@workingmamaMy daughter’s reaction 😭 to the little mermaid trailer.         #littlemermaidtrailer #representationmatters
A video shared by Precious Avery shows her toddler’s reaction as Bailey comes on screen.
She excitedly says:
“I think she's brown!”In a different video, another young girl watching the trailer happily asks:
“Is Ariel actually Black?”After spotting one of the videos on Twitter, even Bailey herself couldn't help but react to the trailer's powerful impact.
\u201ck i just sobbed watching this thanks \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\udc95she\u2019s so sweet \u2763\ufe0f\ud83e\udd79\u201d
 — Halle (@Halle)
        1662928242
The happiness on these little faces is beautiful.
\u201c@Candace82661097 @Disney who could be mad at the casting after this? This is wonderful!\u201d
 — Candace (@Candace)
        1662859477
\u201cWatching all these videos of black girls reacting to seeing the new Little Mermaid is beautiful and I\u2019m living for it. Ariel is black girl magic \ud83d\udc96\u201d
 — Dr. Antifa witch (@Dr. Antifa witch)
        1662957038
\u201c@taylorstyleslou @Candace82661097 @Disney I cried when she said this \ud83e\udddc\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83d\udc97\ud83d\udc97\ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\u201d
 — Candace (@Candace)
        1662859477
\u201c@bryanxtomas @Candace82661097 @Disney Same here.\u201d
 — Candace (@Candace)
        1662859477
\u201c@piscespriest @Candace82661097 @Disney Had me tearing up a little bit\u201d
 — Candace (@Candace)
        1662859477
The film drew racist comments after the 2019 announcement that Bailey would play the titular character. In the original animated film, Ariel was a white woman with red hair, and racists have accused Disney of being “too woke” when casting this version.
Meanwhile, Jodi Benson, who was the original voice of Ariel, has offered her full support for Bailey.
And other fans are more than happy to share in this joy.
\u201c@CBSNews I\u2019ve watched a few of these videos, and the surprise and pure joy that these girls are experiencing is absolutely heartwarming to witness.\u201d
 — CBS News (@CBS News)
        1663127101
\u201cTo every grown white person mad that hallie bailey is ariel. Look up \u201clittle mermaid trailer reactions\u201d and picture urself explaining to those little girls that ariel can\u2019t be black. And then stfu.\u201d
 — MK_the_Maniac | check \ud83d\udccc (safe) (@MK_the_Maniac | check \ud83d\udccc (safe))
        1662993342
\u201cI care more about this than weird grown white men on Fox News complaining about it.\u201d
 — Akilah Hughes (@Akilah Hughes)
        1662965713
\u201cFor every white adult complaining, there's many more little black girls happy to see someone like them in a big movie. The 90s animation still exists. The 90s and 00s were white enough, it's time for some others to see themselves represented.\u201d
 — TimeLordIroh\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@TimeLordIroh\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f)
        1663127776
\u201cdid it ever occur to you racists that halle bailey got the role of Ariel in the little mermaid bc she auditioned an was the best an has the perfect voice for the character? but nah it's "pandering" bc y'all can't fathom that a black girl out performed white ones. SHE DID.\u201d
 — bashton (@bashton)
        1662973802
The film is slated for a May 2023 release and, in addition to songs from the original, it will include four new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. 
Latest News
Donald Trump
        Beto O'Rourke Brings The Receipts After Texas AG 'Blatantly Lies' While Calling For O'Rourke's Arrest
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
14h
Trending
        Guy Warns About Using Mirror Reflection As Game After Accidentally 'Breaking' Best Friend's Dog
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
15h
Trending
        Pilot Goes Viral After Putting Ungrateful Passenger Who Had Medical Emergency On Blast
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
15h
Trending
        Guy Called Out For Sitting In Car While Chivalrous Stranger Offers To Pump Gas For His Wife
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
15h
Don’t Miss Out

      Join the
      ComicSands.com
      community and make your opinion matter.
    

The Top 5

Discover More

Parents have been sharing their daughters’ reactions to the new trailer for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and the results are adorable.

The new film stars Halle Bailey in the title role, and the crowd at Disney's D23 Expo went wild for a teaser featuring Ariel singing “Part of Your World.”

It was later released online.

The Little Mermaid - Official Teaser Trailerwww.youtube.com

Young black girls who see the trailer are positively glowing over the representation. Need proof? Look no further than social media, where parents have shared their daughters’ reactions to the reveal of Halle Bailey as Ariel.

\u201cThe trailer for #TheLittleMermaid brought her so much joy #blackgirljoy #HalleBailey #HalleBailey @Disney great job\u201d
— Candace (@Candace) 1662859477

\u201chttps://t.co/zR9QLNuSkG\u201d
— Lai\ud83d\udc94 (@Lai\ud83d\udc94) 1662935462

\u201cIf you aren\u2019t on tiktok watching little black girls reacting to Ariel being black, then you are wasting your time. Lost track of how many tears I\u2019ve shed!\u201d
— Kerri (@Kerri) 1663028265

@preciousavery
I love this for my 3 years old 🤎 #littlemermaid #toddlersoftiktok #hallebailey #girlpower

@thedfwdad
Never thought a movie trailer could make me cry but then I saw @halle and knew how it would make my kids feel. Thanks @disney for making my kids feel seen. Can’t wait to be at Disney World in 12 days! #disney #interacialadoption #representationmatters #littlemermaid #thelittlemermaidtrailer #partofyourworld #blackgirlmagic #girldad #d23 #disneyadult

@workingmama
My daughter’s reaction 😭 to the little mermaid trailer. #littlemermaidtrailer #representationmatters

A video shared by Precious Avery shows her toddler’s reaction as Bailey comes on screen.

She excitedly says:

“I think she's brown!”

In a different video, another young girl watching the trailer happily asks:

“Is Ariel actually Black?”

After spotting one of the videos on Twitter, even Bailey herself couldn't help but react to the trailer's powerful impact.

\u201ck i just sobbed watching this thanks \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\udc95she\u2019s so sweet \u2763\ufe0f\ud83e\udd79\u201d
— Halle (@Halle) 1662928242

The happiness on these little faces is beautiful.

\u201c@Candace82661097 @Disney who could be mad at the casting after this? This is wonderful!\u201d
— Candace (@Candace) 1662859477

\u201cWatching all these videos of black girls reacting to seeing the new Little Mermaid is beautiful and I\u2019m living for it. Ariel is black girl magic \ud83d\udc96\u201d
— Dr. Antifa witch (@Dr. Antifa witch) 1662957038

\u201c@taylorstyleslou @Candace82661097 @Disney I cried when she said this \ud83e\udddc\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83d\udc97\ud83d\udc97\ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\u201d
— Candace (@Candace) 1662859477

\u201c@bryanxtomas @Candace82661097 @Disney Same here.\u201d
— Candace (@Candace) 1662859477

\u201c@piscespriest @Candace82661097 @Disney Had me tearing up a little bit\u201d
— Candace (@Candace) 1662859477

The film drew racist comments after the 2019 announcement that Bailey would play the titular character. In the original animated film, Ariel was a white woman with red hair, and racists have accused Disney of being “too woke” when casting this version.

Meanwhile, Jodi Benson, who was the original voice of Ariel, has offered her full support for Bailey.

And other fans are more than happy to share in this joy.

\u201c@CBSNews I\u2019ve watched a few of these videos, and the surprise and pure joy that these girls are experiencing is absolutely heartwarming to witness.\u201d
— CBS News (@CBS News) 1663127101

\u201cTo every grown white person mad that hallie bailey is ariel. Look up \u201clittle mermaid trailer reactions\u201d and picture urself explaining to those little girls that ariel can\u2019t be black. And then stfu.\u201d
— MK_the_Maniac | check \ud83d\udccc (safe) (@MK_the_Maniac | check \ud83d\udccc (safe)) 1662993342

\u201cI care more about this than weird grown white men on Fox News complaining about it.\u201d
— Akilah Hughes (@Akilah Hughes) 1662965713

\u201cFor every white adult complaining, there's many more little black girls happy to see someone like them in a big movie. The 90s animation still exists. The 90s and 00s were white enough, it's time for some others to see themselves represented.\u201d
— TimeLordIroh\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@TimeLordIroh\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1663127776

\u201cdid it ever occur to you racists that halle bailey got the role of Ariel in the little mermaid bc she auditioned an was the best an has the perfect voice for the character? but nah it's "pandering" bc y'all can't fathom that a black girl out performed white ones. SHE DID.\u201d
— bashton (@bashton) 1662973802

The film is slated for a May 2023 release and, in addition to songs from the original, it will include four new songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

From Your Site Articles

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

        @sweetteataylor/TikTok
    

        Gay Man's Story About A Recent Hookup Takes An Awkward Turn At The Car Wash—And Yikes
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Aug 14, 2025
We've all heard of the walk of shame, but have we heard of the car wash of shame?
TikToker @sweetteataylor found himself in a uniquely awkward situation after he hooked up with a guy a few nights before via Grindr. When the guy was getting ready to leave, he dropped his wallet, exposing a photo of him with his wife and children.
Keep ReadingShow less
Most Read
Political News
        Kristi Noem Ripped After Offering Groanworthy Nickname For New Migrant Detention Center
    
Alan Herrera
07 August
Political News
        New York Republican Accidentally Describes America's 250th Birthday Festivities With NSFW Phrase
    
Alan Herrera
11 August
Political News
        'South Park' Rips Trump Administration After ICE Uses Image From Show For Recruiting Effort
    
Alan Herrera
07 August
Political News
        John Leguizamo Just Brutally Dragged Dean Cain For Joining ICE—And Fans Are Applauding
    
Alan Herrera
11 August
Donald Trump
        'South Park' Hits Back At Kristi Noem's Gripe About Show With Hilarious Profile Photo Change
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
12 August

        @newheightsshow/TikTok
    

        Taylor Swift Just Appeared On Travis Kelce's Podcast—And Hilariously Trolled His Fans
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Aug 14, 2025
There is one vital, earth-shattering, no-going-back difference between Swifties and a certain subgroup of male football fans: Swifties are big fans of Taylor Swift's relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. But this group of male football fans?
They hate the relationship so much, they're counting down the days until Kelce retires, just so they hopefully don't have to see Swift in the stands anymore. Talk about conditional love!
Keep ReadingShow less

        Gilbert Flores/GG2025/Penske Media/Getty Images
    

        Fans Outraged After Makeup Brand Features Controversial Comedian Matt Rife In New Ad Campaign
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Aug 14, 2025
Content warning: domestic violence, joking about domestic violence
From tasteless and harmful domestic violence jokes on Netflix to becoming the protector for haunted dolls, Matt Rife has been hot in the news lately, but honestly, not all news is good news.
Keep ReadingShow less

        River Callaway/Variety via Getty Images; Ethan Miller/Getty Images
    

        Ariana Grande Costar Offers Hilarious Reaction After Fan Claims She's Never Cast Opposite 'Hot' Actors
    
Peter Karleby
Aug 14, 2025
In our chaotic world, there are still a few things you can count on: the sun rising and setting, and "Stan Twitter" being unhinged.
 After the announcement of him being cast next to pop diva Ariana Grande, actor Skyler Gisondo was the latest star to learn how pop stans just go on X and say anything that comes to mind.
Keep ReadingShow less

        Patrick Smith/Getty Images
    

        Trans Nonbinary Track Star Nikki Hiltz Shares Powerful Video Documenting Their Top Surgery Journey
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
Aug 14, 2025
United States Olympian Nikki Hiltz is a middle distance runner who in 2021 came out as transgender and nonbinary on International Transgender Day of Visibility.
On August 6 of this year—four years after coming out and four days after winning the national title in the 1500 meter race at the USA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon...
Keep ReadingShow less
Load More