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Post by veu on May 30, 2023 14:29:15 GMT -5
Source: movieweb.com/halle-bailey-sneaks-theater-little-mermaid/Halle Bailey Sneaks Into Theater Undetected to Watch The Little Mermaid
BY JEREMY **** PUBLISHED 19 HOURS AGO
The filmgoers had no idea the star of the film was there watching the movie with them until Halle Bailey posted a video of it online.
Little Mermaid Theater HBDisney/TikTok
With big bucks made at the box office, The Little Mermaid has been drawing many filmgoers out to theaters over the four-day holiday weekend. Among those who went to see the movie was Halle Bailey, the main star of the film. In the movie, Bailey plays a live-action incarnation of Ariel, making her the newest Disney Princess.
Taking to TikTok after the film's premiere, Bailey shared a video revealing how she went to a theater to see the film. To remain undetected by fans, Bailey utilized sunglasses and a face mask, and as the video shows, she was able to purchase a bucket of popcorn and get into a screening of the movie just as it was getting started. There are filmgoers that can be seen in the video, including one person taking a selfie in front of a large display for The Little Mermaid, unaware that Bailey herself was literally walking right past her. You can watch the video for yourself below.
Bailey notes on her TikTok post how amazed she is that The Little Mermaid is now the No. 1 movie in the world. Indeed, it opened to a whopping $185 million worldwide, quite a chunk of change to pull in over the course of four days. More than $117 million of that total haul came from domestic movie theater screenings. What's even better for the film is that the audience scores have been pretty strong, as The Little Mermaid earned an A grade at CinemaScore. It also debuted with an audience score of 95% at Rotten Tomatoes.
Halle Bailey's Ariel Has Arrived
That Halle Bailey Little Mermaid (2)Disney
After finding success in music alongside sister Chloe Bailey, with the two making up Chloe x Halle, Halle Bailey has delved into acting with a role on Grown-ish alongside her sibling. She's also set to appear in the upcoming musical remake of The Color Purple. But playing Ariel has been a dream come true for Bailey, who used to dream of being a Disney Princess as a young girl while never expecting that could be something that would one day happen for real.
"It feels absolutely amazing to officially be a Disney Princess," Halle Bailey said of the honor of playing Ariel in the movie, per ET. "I mean, I think that it's something that we all have just had in our dreams. You have daydreams of pretending to be a Cinderella princess, or someone like that, and you never think that it would actually happen, so I just am really grateful to be in this position."
Rob Marshall directs The Little Mermaid using a screenplay by David Magee. Starring alongside Bailey in the film are Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.
The Little Mermaid can now be seen on the big screen following the film's debut in movie theaters.
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Post by veu on May 30, 2023 14:27:32 GMT -5
New artwork:
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Post by veu on May 30, 2023 14:26:42 GMT -5
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 11:40:03 GMT -5
Live Action Ariel “The Little Mermaid” Character Meet and Greet - Disney’s Hollywood Studios
WDW News Today
29 mag 2023 #WaltDisneyWorld #DisneyParks #disneynews
Live Action Ariel “The Little Mermaid” Character Meet and Greet - Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This video is produced by WDW News Today - the worldwide leader in Disney parks news.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 11:38:08 GMT -5
Live Action Ariel “The Little Mermaid” Character Meet & Greet at Disneyland
WDW News Today
27 mag 2023 #WaltDisneyWorld #DisneyParks #DisneyNews
This video is produced by WDW News Today - the worldwide leader in Disney parks news.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 11:36:27 GMT -5
LE NOUVEAU SPECTACLE LA PETITE SIRÈNE ARRIVE À DISNEYLAND PARIS !🧜♀️✨
Magic Hat
29 mag 2023
Les nouveautés de Disneyland Paris !
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:50:50 GMT -5
Source: www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/movies/alan-menken-little-mermaid.htmlAlan Menken on ‘The Little Mermaid’ and the Mixed Blessing of Disney Fame The composer talked revisiting “The Little Mermaid” after nearly 35 years and the similarities between working with Howard Ashman and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
A smiling man wears an elaborately patterned gold-and-black jacket over a black shirt. When it comes to revisiting work, Alan Menken said, “These are my babies — I don’t want to walk away from them.”Credit...Jordan Strauss/Invision, via Associated Press
By Sarah Bahr
May 29, 2023, 5:01 a.m. ET
Alan Menken composed the musical versions of “Little Shop of Horrors” and “A Bronx Tale,” but he is at peace with being known as a Disney composer.
Mostly.
“One of the areas where it got to me — you go to the Alan Menken Pandora station, and it’s all these little Disney tunes, and I go, ‘What is that?’” Menken said. Listeners could probably answer him: after all, he’s best known for the scores for beloved Disney animated films like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast” and of course “The Little Mermaid.”
Menken was speaking by video on a recent morning from his sunlit studio at his home in North Salem, N.Y. At 73, he is an EGOT winner with eight Oscars, 11 Grammys, an Emmy and a Tony prominently displayed in a glass case behind him. It was a few weeks before the release of the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and as with Disney’s other live-action and stage adaptations of the classic animated films he scored with the lyricist Howard Ashman, he collaborated with a new partner — in this case the “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda — to add a few more numbers to his original Oscar-winning tunes.
In some ways, Menken said, working with Miranda reminded him of his decade-long partnership with Ashman, who died from AIDS in 1991 at age 40.
“Sometimes your collaborator goes, ‘Oh, that’s the problem, because this is doing this and it’s overstepping emotionally here,’” Menken said. “It’s something that Howard had. I have those same moments with Lin where I go, ‘He knows.’”
(The remake also includes a few adjustments to old songs. A verse in “Poor Unfortunate Souls” urging Ariel to keep quiet was dropped and a line in “Kiss the Girl” suggesting Prince Eric kiss her without asking was changed. Menken has said elsewhere that the filmmakers wanted to avoid suggesting both that the prince “would, in any way, force himself” on Ariel and that young girls might feel they shouldn’t use their voices.)
In a recent interview, Menken discussed what it was like to revisit a score he wrote nearly 35 years ago, his experience working with Miranda on new songs and how he learned to embrace being known as a Disney composer. These are edited excerpts from our conversation.
You have approximately 10 million projects in development, among them “Animal Farm,” “Hercules,” “Nancy Drew” and “Night at the Museum” stage musicals; the live-action adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”; and a new animated musical film, “Spellbound.” Do you just have a spreadsheet?
Yeah, kind of. [Laughs] After a while, you feel like a workaholic.
Do you enjoy revisiting your older work, or do you do so more out of a sense of protectiveness?
A little of both. These are my babies — I don’t want to walk away from them. Sometimes I’ll think, “What more do we have to say in the telling of this story?” And then it will be incumbent upon me to get to know the director, the book writer, and talk to them about the things they want to add. That’s where it becomes fun for me.
What was it like working with Lin-Manuel Miranda on new songs for “The Little Mermaid”?
It was a lot of fun — I knew about him because he went to the [Hunter College Elementary School] with my niece, and I would always hear about this little boy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and how he was obsessed with “The Little Mermaid.”
Of the three songs we did together, one is more in my and Howard’s wheelhouse, “Wild Uncharted Waters.” It’s a ballad sung by Prince Eric, and it’s the roiling inside him — it’s very emotional. “For the First Time,” which Ariel sings when she gets legs about all the things she’s noticing for the first time, is a real combination of our styles. I had given Lin a fragment from the score from the original animated movie, and he said, “Wait, can we put a 2 against the 3?” [referring to the tempo], and so it got that real rhythmic rub to it. And the one that was much more in Lin’s wheelhouse was “The Scuttlebutt,” which is sung by Scuttle and Sebastian [played by Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs]. I gave him a little Caribbean tune thinking he would lyricize that, and in fact, he rapped over it! It was just one of those moments where you sense somebody’s brilliance.
In 1997, David Horn, now the executive producer of PBS’s “Great Performances” series, told The New York Times, “When there’s a Sondheim musical, everyone refers to it as a Sondheim musical. When it’s something Alan has done, they refer to it as a Disney musical.” Do you still mind your shows being known as Disney musicals?
I sometimes would have a little resistance to simply being characterized as “Disney composer Alan Menken” because I already had a huge hit with “Little Shop of Horrors” before I went to Disney. And while I was at Disney, I wrote so many other outside projects — the “Christmas Carol” that was at Madison Square Garden for [nearly] 10 years with Lynn Ahrens, [stage shows] “Sister Act,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Leap of Faith,” [the series] “Galavant” — but there is no musical opportunity that is at the level of writing a musical for Disney. If you do your work right, you will have an experience that nothing else can match.
What’s your favorite musical of all time?
I remember when I saw the original “Chorus Line” — Blew. My. Mind. It pulled back the curtain in terms of the back story of people who work in theater, especially dancers and the ensemble. It was so powerful, and that was the stagecraft as much as anything else. Michael Bennett [the show’s creator] was such a genius.
What dream project is still on your bucket list?
Howard, before he died, wanted to do a musical based on a Damon Runyon story — [adapted for a] movie called “The Big Street” — and I took a number of cracks at writing it. The problem is, it has an unlikable central character. It’s challenging, and I still want to do it — maybe it should be an opera. I wrote, I think, a brilliant musical with David Spencer, “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz” [previously a novel and a movie]. But it’s very hard to get that musical on — it’s thorny and challenging, but I don’t shy away from those. I just have to go with what happens.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:38:59 GMT -5
Source: www.badtaste.it/cinema/articoli/la-sirenetta-rob-marshall-scena-jodi-benson/La Sirenetta: Rob Marshall parla della scena con Jodi Benson, la voce di Ariel nel film d’animazione
Mirko D'Alessio 29 maggio 2023 alle 10:56 · aggiornato il 29 maggio 2023 alle 10:56
Durante un’intervista con ComicBook.com, Rob Marshall ha parlato del cammeo di Jodi Benson, la voce originale di Ariel nel film d’animazione, in La Sirenetta.
“Non voglio dire come si chiama, ma quella persona è una cara vecchia amica” ha commentato il regista cercando di preservare la sorpresa. “Ho diretto questa persona molti, molti anni fa, forse a fine anni ’80 o inizio anni ’90. Quando hai un legame con una persona che adori e che conosci, era una cosa scontata da fare, specialmente se fatto in modo elegante e non invadente“.
Ha poi aggiunto: “Avevamo scritto il ruolo prima che [Benson] fosse scelta per quel cammeo, così ci siamo detti: ‘Oh, sarebbe perfetto per lei’. Avere una cara vecchia amica sul set con noi è stato bellissimo, erano tutti così emozionati“.
L’attrice interpreta la mercante che porge ad Ariel l’arricciaspiccia.
In La Sirenetta, uscito nelle sale il 24 maggio, Halle Bailey interpreta Ariel assieme a Jonah Hauer-King (Eric), Jacob Tremblay (Flounders), Daveed Diggs (Sebastian) e Awkwafina (Scuttle), mentre Melissa McCarthy interpreta Ursula e Javier Bardem re Tritone.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:37:55 GMT -5
Source: comicbook.com/movies/news/the-little-mermaid-rob-marshall-explains-jodi-benson-original-ariel-cameo-spoiler-exclusive/The Little Mermaid: Rob Marshall Explains SPOILER's Cameo (Exclusive) By JAMIE JIRAK - May 26, 2023 07:58 pm EDT
The Little Mermaid is the latest live-action remake from Disney and it sees Halle Bailey taking on the role of Ariel, the beloved mermaid who wishes to explore the surface. The film hit theaters today, and fans cannot stop praising Bailey's performance, especially when it comes to her vocal talents. ComicBook.com's Jenna Anderson gave the new movie a 4 out of 5 and said Bailey "not only effortlessly embodies Ariel's earnestness and enthusiasm, but adds even more layers of depth to it." Of course, the role of Ariel was originally voiced by Jodi Benson in the 1989 animated film, and the Disney Legend has had nothing but praise for the newest Ariel. Warning: Spoilers Ahead! In fact, Benson makes a special cameo in the live-action film. While Ariel and Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) are exploring a market, Ariel is given a fork by a woman at a stand. That woman was none other than Benson, and the passing of a fork was a symbolic way for the actor to pass the role over to Bailey. During a recent interview with ComicBook.com, director Rob Marshall talked about Benson's special moment in the film.
"Well, I won't say the person's name, but that person is a very old friend," Marshall said of Benson. "I directed this person many, many, many years ago. I think maybe in either the late eighties or early nineties. And it's just, you know, when you have a connection like that with someone you really love and know, it seemed the right thing to do, especially if it can be done in an elegant way that doesn't stick out."
Marshall continued, "I don't want to step outside the piece at all ... We had written this role before [Benson] was cast in that little cameo. So we thought, 'Oh, that's kind of a perfect way to do it. Really simple.' And just having a friend, an old friend on set with us and everybody was so excited to have [her]."
Jodi Benson Reacts To The Little Mermaid's Changes:
Benson recently spoke out on the changes in The Little Mermaid, and called them "very important."
"When you look at our film, we started in the studio in 1986 and we were released in 1989. Times change, people change, cultures change," Benson told People. "What matters and what is important changes. And, as a studio, we need to make those adjustments, and we need to take into consideration what's going on around us. We need to be aware."
"I do feel all of the nuances and small, slight changes here and there are very important. It's very important to address what's going on right now in our world and to make it effective for our period of time, where we are right now in this generation." Benson added.
The Little Mermaid is now playing in theaters.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:35:56 GMT -5
Source: www.badtaste.it/cinema/articoli/la-sirenetta-truccatore-risponde-critiche-comunita-lgbtq/La Sirenetta: il truccatore risponde alle critiche della comunità LGBTQ+ su Ursula
Mirko D'Alessio 29 maggio 2023 alle 10:27 · aggiornato il 29 maggio 2023 alle 10:27 Cinema Articoli
Peter King, responsabile del trucco di La Sirenetta, ha risposto ad alcune critiche arrivate principalmente dai componenti della comunità LGBTQ+ per il trucco di Ursula.
Il personaggio, come noto, è ispirato alla drag queen Divine e secondo le critiche avrebbe dovuto essere qualcuno di appartenente alla comunità LGBTQ+ a dare vita alla strega del mare.
“Lo trovo molto offensivo” ha commentato durante un’intervista con Insider. “Perché non posso svolgere un lavoro bello quanto potrebbe fare un artista queer?“.
Ha poi aggiunto: “Lo trovo ridicolo, […] non è giusto criticare le persone perché non sono come vorremmo che fossero. Personalmente non lo capisco. Sì, sono molto vecchio, e va bene, lo capisco, ma un truccatore non dovrebbe avere un legame con la natura di ciò che trattano“.
King, che ha lavorato a film come la trilogia del Signore degli Anelli, Star Wars: Gli ultimi Jedi e Spider-Man: Far From Home, ha spiegato di aver “parlato tanto” con Melissa McCarthy e di aver legato tanto su “quanto adoriamo il mondo delle drag queen e del loro trucco“.
L’attrice interprete di Ursula, ricordiamo, si esibiva come drag queen a New York City con il nome Miss Y quando era molto giovane.
In La Sirenetta, uscito nelle sale il 24 maggio, Halle Bailey interpreta Ariel assieme a Jonah Hauer-King (Eric), Jacob Tremblay (Flounders), Daveed Diggs (Sebastian) e Awkwafina (Scuttle), mentre Melissa McCarthy interpreta Ursula e Javier Bardem re Tritone.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:34:31 GMT -5
Source: screenrant.com/little-mermaid-remake-ursula-controversy-makeup-artist-response/"Very Offensive": Little Mermaid Remake’s Ursula Backlash Addressed By Movie’s Makeup Artist BY LUKAS SHAYO PUBLISHED 5 HOURS AGO The makeup artist that designed the villainous Ursula in The Little Mermaid remake responds to some of the backlash against her controversial look.
Ursula scowling in The Little Mermaid
The makeup artist for The Little Mermaid is fighting back against some of the criticism about Ursula's look. Multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community have been speaking out against the design, citing that it appears to have taken inspiration from the famous drag queen Divine, who also influenced the character's original animated appearance. As the makeup artist for the live-action The Little Mermaid is not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, there has been a notable backlash against the artist.
In an interview with Insider, The Little Mermaid artist Peter Smith King gave his response to the criticism. Check out his quote below:
"I find that very offensive. Why can't I do as good a job as a queer makeup artist? That's ridiculous. That's trying to claim it and that's fine, if that's what they wanna do, but don't put people down because they're not what they want it to be. I personally don't get it. Yes, I'm very old now, so that's fine, I get that too, but, you know, a makeup artist or makeup designer could design makeup, they don't have to have an attachment to the nature of what they're doing. [Melissa McCarthy and I] discussed everything. I mean, we both laughed about how much we love drag queens and drag makeup and stuff. But it wasn't based on any drag acts at all."
While Insider reports that the original Ursula was based on Divine, King denies any connection between drag and this new version of Ursula. The makeup artist has 42 years of experience and believes he was perfectly qualified to design for The Little Mermaid.
The Backlash Against The Little Mermaid Explained
Ursula with fish
The Little Mermaid has been widely praised for its changes to Ursula, making this makeup controversy stand out as a blot against one of the brightest spots in the movie. Yet it isn't the only controversial element of the project. The Little Mermaid has been facing substantial criticism since it was first announced for various reasons, some more justified than others.
After all, 1989's The Little Mermaid is a Disney classic, and, like many other live-action Disney remakes, there appeared to be no reason to remake the film at all. While that argument has been ongoing ever since the Disney remakes were announced, there has been another, more nefarious critique building for years. Since Halle Bailey was first cast as Ariel, there was a campaign of racist backlash building against her, which ignited a barrage of vitriol against the project. As Bailey proved to be a widely acclaimed Ariel, she easily proved the attacks were completely unfounded all along.
The backlash against The Little Mermaid has had some effect. The live-action The Little Mermaid has a Rotten Tomatoes score of only 67 percent at the time of writing, which is a poor showing for a Disney movie. Still, it has received a 95 percent score among audiences and seems to be poised for success at the box office. The Little Mermaid has been facing massive backlash from the beginning, but it has been swimming on toward success all the same.
Source: Insider
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:32:44 GMT -5
Source: www.insider.com/ursula-little-mermaid-mua-responds-to-criticism-disney-queer-artist-2023-5The makeup artist behind Melissa McCarthy's version of Ursula responds to criticism that Disney should've hired a queer artist for the job Maria Noyen May 26, 2023, 7:01 PM CEST
Melissa McCarthy as Ursula in Disney's live action remake of "The Little Mermaid" (L), Divine performing at the Red Parrot nightclub in New York City in 1983 (R). Courtesy of Disney, Tom Gates/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Melissa McCarthy plays Ursula in the new Disney live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid." Peter Swords King, who has worked in the industry for 42 years, is the MUA behind McCarthy's Ursula. Speaking to Insider, King responded to criticism Disney should've hired a queer artist for the job.
The makeup designer who transformed Melissa McCarthy into Ursula for Disney's remake of "The Little Mermaid" has responded to criticism that a queer makeup artist should've been hired in his place.
Peter Smith King, the British hair and makeup designer who transformed McCarthy into Ursula, has 42 years' worth of career experience doing makeup for films, theatre, and opera. From "The Lord of the Rings" to "Mary Poppins," King told Insider he couldn't possibly pick a favorite among his past projects, but did say there was something special about "The Little Mermaid," which premiered on Friday.
"It was lovely. A lovely crew, lovely cast," King said. And with regards to working McCarthy, King said she was incredibly involved in the process of creating their version of Ursula. "We discussed everything," he added.
When asked if he drew inspiration from the 1989 original animated film for his version of Ursula, King said he actually didn't draw on outside influences.
"No, no. It was me. I didn't really draw on anything. I played around quite a lot with different colors, different shapes, and stuff," he said. "It just was sort of Melissa and I talking and creating. So I didn't really draw on anything at all."
He also responded to criticism that because the animated villain took inspiration from a legendary drag performer that the makeup artist for the remake should have been from that world.
The original 1989 Disney animator said he sought inspiration for Ursula in the late drag queen performer, Divine
Drag queen Divine at the premiere of "Female Trouble" on February 12, 1975, in New York City. Tim Boxer/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
As Time reported, Harris Glenn Milstead, better known by their drag queen stage name Divine, was active in the 1970s and 1980s but died in 1988. Divine had several visible resemblances to Ursula, including a high hairline, exaggerated eyebrows, and shimmery extravagant eyeshadow.
Animator Rob Minkoff, who worked on the design for 1989 "The Little Mermaid" also told Vogue he sought inspiration from Divine for Ursula. "Divine seemed like such a great, larger than life character, and it just seemed like a funny and quirky idea to take [Ursula] and treat her more like a drag queen," he said.
Ursula's animation origin story recently led drag queens such as Sierra La Puerta to take issue with McCarthy's sea witch transformation on Twitter after Disney shared a behind-the-scenes clip of King doing her makeup.
"We said Ursula was inspired by a drag queen we didn't mean one who had only been doing it for 3 months bc-," La Puerta tweeted on May 17.
"RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under" star Art Simone also levied criticism at McCarthy's Ursula makeup, tweeting: "When you lie on your resume and end up with the job."
Season 14 "RuPaul's Drag Race" star Kerri Colby responded to a clip on Twitter, writing that it's an example of "absolutely why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often. Yes I agree, this is that."
King told Insider McCarthy's makeup in the remake isn't based on drag performances and that he finds criticism of his work 'offensive'
King told Inider he disagrees with the criticism levied at McCarthy's final makeup look.
"I find that very offensive," he said. "Why can't I do as good a job as a queer makeup artist?"
"That's ridiculous. That's trying to claim it and that's fine, if that's what they wanna do, but don't put people down because they're not what they want it to be," he added.
King also said that his design of Ursula wasn't "based on Divine," who he says he met in person in London before the drag legend's death.
Ursula in the original Disney animated film, released in 1989. Disney/ YouTube
"I personally don't get it. Yes, I'm very old now, so that's fine, I get that too, but, you know, a makeup artist or makeup designer could design makeup, they don't have to have an attachment to the nature of what they're doing," he added.
King also said that he and McCarthy spoke together about Ursula's makeup for the remake.
"We discussed everything. I mean, we both laughed about how much we love drag queens and drag makeup and stuff. But it wasn't based on any drag acts at all," he said.
King's comments came after McCarthy previously spoke to Deadline about Ursula's links to Divine at a premiere of the film in early May.
Speaking from the red carpet, she said that she'd watched "The Little Mermaid" more "times than any other movie."
"I was a nanny, and we used to watch it every night. And I always was like, I know for a fact — but I couldn't prove it —that she had to be based on Divine," McCarthy said. "She just had to be. I was like, 'the makeup, the look, the attitude.' And now we know that yes, she was of course based on Divine."
Representatives for Melissa McCarthy did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:27:27 GMT -5
Source: www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65672642The Little Mermaid: Film critics fall for Halle Bailey’s ‘charismatic’ Ariel Published 6 days ago
Actress Halle Bailey delivers a "star-making" performance as Ariel in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, according to critics.
Most reviews of the film praised Bailey, with Hollywood bible Variety declaring that "a star is born".
The Guardian said she is "the best thing about this film" and its "only unmitigated triumph".
Those verdicts come after the casting of a black actress as the mermaid caused controversy in some quarters.
But the 23-year-old singer-turned-actress "knocks all naysayers into place with an innately charismatic turn and full-throttle vocal powers", according to The Times' film critic Kevin Maher.
He said Bailey gives a "star-making turn", a phrase also used by The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey.
She summed up the film by writing: "Nice casting can't cover up the ugly visuals and lack of creative risk."
The live action remake of the beloved 1989 adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's story also uses a large dose of computer animation to bring the underwater world to life.
"The animals are all now, of course, photorealistic," Loughrey added. "It's odd to think they spent so much money on making Flounder (Jacob Tremblay) look like a real fish when they could have just bought a Big Mouth Billy Bass and achieved the same range of facial expressions."
The Guardian's Ellen E Jones was also scathing, writing that aside from Bailey, "almost everything else about this flops about like a dying fish on deck".
She said things that were cute or funny when done in cartoon form "are no longer cute or funny when done by computer-generated sea-life approximates with no recognisable facial expressions".
She added: "Whole sequences of character interaction fondly remembered from its 1989 predecessor… are rendered lifeless by CGI. And you'd be lucky to make much of it out through the murk of the underwater cinematography anyway."
Other verdicts were varied but less damning - from The Hollywood Reporter's Lovia Gyarkye, who said the film has a "vague, generic vibe", to the Telegraph's Alex Diggins, who said it "justifies its shiny revisioning".
Past Disney "rehashes haven't been altogether successful", Diggins wrote. "Happily, The Little Mermaid comfortably leaps clear of the lot. It serves as a handsome homage while persuasively making the case as its own discrete entity."
Variety's Peter Debruge was enthusiastic about the overall film as well as Bailey's performance.
He also singled out Melissa McCarthy as villainous sea witch Ursula.
"McCarthy manages to hit every beat the super fans expect, while surprising with every pause and inflection," he wrote.
"Between Bailey's wide-eyed urchin and McCarthy's over-the-top octo-hussy, the movie comes alive - not in some zombified form, like reanimated Disney debacles Dumbo and Pinocchio, but in a way that gives young audiences something magical to identify with, and fresh mermaid dreams to aspire to."
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:25:43 GMT -5
Source: www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-65683542Little Mermaid 2023 cast say Disney film's diversity is 'wonderful' Published 4 days ago
Halle Bailey on the red carpet - she's looking back over her right shoulder with a beaming smile. She's wearing a jewelled headpiece that covers the top of her head to the middle of her ear. She wears a sparkly earring with a pearl dangling from it. IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Halle Bailey says she's been moved to tears by the joyful reaction some people had to her being cast as Ariel
By Megan Lawton Newsbeat reporter If you're planning on watching The Little Mermaid at the cinema this weekend, you'll notice several changes from the original.
Firstly it's a live-action remake, so combines real-life actors with computer-animated sea creatures.
And one of the biggest changes is the diversity of the cast.
You'll probably know, thanks to social media posts or billboards, that main character Ariel is played by black actress and singer Halle Bailey.
But diversity in 2023's Little Mermaid goes beyond her character - Ariel's six sisters are all played by actors from different ethnicities.
And when BBC Newsbeat speaks to Halle, it's something she wants to celebrate.
"I am overjoyed I get to represent for this new generation," she says.
Joy is a feeling that's followed Halle since she was revealed as the new Ariel.
The movie's trailer was viewed 9 million times in just five days and the internet was flooded with videos of young girls thrilled to see a Disney star that looked like them.
And seeing that still hasn't got old for Halle.
"I've cried 10 times today," she says. "I saw 10 new videos and I can't stop getting emotional."
Halle Bailey as Ariel, in a close-up shot from The Little Mermaid. Her head is above water and the rest of her body is submerged. Her long, dreadlocked hair hangs down at each side of her head and disappears into the sea. IMAGE SOURCE,DISNEY Halle's been praised for her "star-making" turn as Ariel
Playing Ariel meant a great deal to Halle and she was keen to bring her culture and identity to the role.
One example is her hair, which she kept natural for the film. Unlike 1989's cartoon Ariel, with her long, straight red hair, Halle has dreadlocks, or locs.
But it did make certain moments - like Ariel's iconic hair flick - harder to film.
"My hair was really heavy because I have my locs, so we shot it more than 20 times to get it right," says Halle.
"But it was so fun. I've loved recreating moments like those."
It's an image "beautiful black and brown children deserve to see", she says.
Castmate and fellow mermaid Sienna King agrees, and says it sends a powerful message.
"For so many years, we've been told that having straight hair - especially for black women - is the idea of beauty," says Sienna.
"Now we get to see someone with dreadlocks and their natural kinky, curly hair.
"It's so beautiful and I'm very blessed to see that and be a part of that as well."
Sienna King on the red carpet, wearing a white blouse with open neck and puffy shoulders. Her hair is tightly tied back, and she wears dangly earrings made up of three teardrop-shaped stones. A matching necklace can also be seen. IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Sienna King plays the mermaid Tamika and says making the film felt like making history When casting the film, director Rob Marshall says he and his team had no agenda and auditioned "every ethnicity" before landing on Halle.
Sienna believes this approach to casting will set a precedent for the future.
"Representation really does matter on all levels, from size, disability, colour and gender," she says.
"This movie is now the forefront of that, so I'm grateful to be a part of history."
Film critics fall for Little Mermaid's new Ariel
Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Ariel's love interest Eric, says he wants the project's "open-minded" casting to be the norm moving forward.
"There was equal opportunity and that's really special," he says.
"What's beautiful about the film is that it represents the world that we live in and it does it in a really seamless way."
Joshua says the Little Mermaid is "trailblazing" for people "who don't often see themselves on-screen in this way".
"It's special and I think it's going to make a massive difference," he says.
A scene from The Little Mermaid where Ariel, in her mermaid form, attempts to revive Prince Eric. They're both on a sandy beach. He's on his back, with his eyes closed and appears unconscious. He's soaking wet and his shirt has come unbuttoned. Ariel leans over him, and looks concerned as she places her left forearm on his chest. IMAGE SOURCE,DISNEY Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Prince Eric, praised the movie's "open-minded" casting process
Kajsa Mohammar plays Karina, another of Ariel's sisters, and tells Newsbeat there were tears on set - but the good kind.
"When we filmed the final scene, I looked around and I saw everybody represented," she says.
"I was bawling my eyes out because you dream to be part of something like this and then it happens and it's so beautiful.
"I think the diversity is the strongest point of the film. It's wonderful."
Bigging up director Rob Marshall, she says "everything is now possible" in the future.
"Rob has set the bar so high, updating an older film and doing it as sensitively as he has, really lighting the way for what we can do.
"It's magic."
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:20:37 GMT -5
Source: edition.cnn.com/2023/05/29/media/little-mermaid-box-office/index.htmlDisney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ rakes in $117 million at the US box office on opening weekend David Goldman By David Goldman, CNN Updated 9:33 AM EDT, Mon May 29, 2023
New York CNN — Disney’s live-action movie “The Little Mermaid” brought in $117.5 million at the US box office in the fifth-best opening for Memorial Day weekend in history, according to Box Office Mojo.
The remake of the 1989 Disney animated classic stars Halle Bailey as Ariel. Bailey’s adaptation of the titular character was widely praised by critics, although the movie as a whole got a decidedly mixed reaction. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, just 67% of critics gave the movie a favorable review.
Audiences were far more pleased with the film, with 95% giving it a thumbs up on Rotten Tomatoes. But IMDB, which also tracks audience reviews, said it had to adjust some of its ratings overseas after it found the movie was a victim of review-bombing.
“The Little Mermaid” remake has been the subject of controversy in right-wing media and on some social platforms — with users posting racist tropes — because Disney cast Ariel with a black actress. The trailer for the film made its debut earlier this year, setting off a debate about whether Ariel should be Black or White.
Rob Marshall, the film’s director, called critics’ complaints about casting a Black actor “small-minded,” in an interview with Vanity Fair. Many have argued that casting a Black actress in the role helps Black children feel represented in popular culture.
Disney first introduced a Black princess in 2009, with Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog.” But Disney has recast characters originally portrayed as White with actors of different races before, including its 1997 remake of “Cinderella” with Brandy, a Black actress.
Despite the controversy, the movie was among the most successful films ever to debut on Memorial Day, Box Office Mojo reported. Last year’s “Top Gun Maverick” tops that list with $160 million at the US box office over the long holiday weekend. “The Little Mermaid” was also bested by 2007’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” ($140 million), 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” ($127 million) and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” ($123 million).
Disney’s live-action remake of “Aladdin” also debuted on Memorial Day weekend in 2019. That came in a hair lower than “The Little Mermaid” with an opening weekend haul of $116.8 million.
Including international ticket sales, “The Little Mermaid” brought in $185.8 million over the weekend.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 10:18:25 GMT -5
Source: deadline.com/2023/05/box-office-the-little-mermaid-1235380526/‘Little Mermaid’ Still Swimming To $117M+ Opening Boosted By $80M Promo Campaign, Biggest For Disney Live-Action Title – Monday AM Update
By Anthony D'Alessandro
Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office Editor
May 29, 2023 7:44am
MONDAY AM: Disney is holding firm to its $117.5M 4-day opening estimate on Little Mermaid after a $27.4M Sunday and a projected $22.1M Monday. Rivals still see it higher, around $119M, but Disney isn’t a studio that likes to get over their skis in their estimates. At the end of the day, Little Mermaid‘s box office course wasn’t that far off from Aladdin‘s; Ariel being more front-loaded in her previews/Friday with $38M to Aladdin’s $31.5M. Again, Aladdin posted a $30M Sunday and $25.3M Monday. Little Mermaid‘s 3-day is $95.4M to the Blue Genie’s $91.3M.
This is a very solid start for Little Mermaid despite coming in slightly lower than the anticipated $120M 4-day, a solid Memorial Day weekend to keep exhibition happy and popcorn sales flowing. The 2023 box office per Comscore through Sunday is at $3.36 billion, 28% ahead of 2022.
Other key marketing stunts that made Little Mermaid an event:
Star Halle Bailey performed “Part of Your World” in front of a live audience at Disneyland Resort. ABC promoted the performance during American Idol’s Disney Night as the studio’s social handles released the featurette “Halle’s Ariel.”
Disney Consumer Products as part of Disney’s 100 Wonder of Play Campaign launched with Bailey’s debut of the new Ariel doll followed by a teaser poster drop on the actress’ social media announcing a new trailer during the Oscars. Bailey and Melissa McCarthy introduced the trailer during the ceremony bumping the film to YouTube’s #1 globally trending video and trailer in the ‘Movie’ section indicating the audience’s anticipation.
On social media, there was a TikTok: A TikTok Global Branded Effect which leveraged the iconic ‘splash’ moment from “Part of Your World,” and there was a @tiktok fan Q&A held with Bailey.
Twitter had a #MermaidWeek and a weeklong takeover of @twittermovies featuring a ‘Thingamabob Fan Q&A’ with the cast and more. There were also custom Twitter Emojis for each primary character in the film. There was also a custom Snap National & RF lens allowing fans to become Ursula on Snapchat. Another social media stunt was the Black Swans, a Black women’s synchronized swimming team who created a performance around music from the film.
Bailey in Times Square with the massive 3D billboard:
more…
SUNDAY AM, 2nd Update: According to industry estimates, The Little Mermaid pulled in a $30m Saturday, which was the same amount of money Disney’s Aladdin pulled in on its Saturday over Memorial Day weekend; with revised outlook for the Rob Marshall directed musical at $95.5M over three days and $117.5M over four per Disney this AM.
Despite the easing of grosses, that’s not a bad thing; this just happens when the industry projects out a 4-day weekend. Rivals still see the movie doing between $121M-$123M, and it would not be shocking to see Little Mermaid resurfacing to that range which is closer to its earlier week opening projection. We’ll see how much a boost Sunday and Monday can bring. Aladdin wound up doing another $30M on its Sunday, and a $25.3M Memorial Day Monday for a $116.8M 4-day start. Imax screens were split up between Little Mermaid, which did $7M, and Fast X at night, which made $1.4M for an $8.2M running total.
EntTelligence estimates that Little Mermaid pulled in 7.4M admissions over three days and potentially 9.2M over four. Not including preview night, Little Mermaid reps 59% of this weekend’s moviegoing foot traffic so far. Average ticket price was $13.37 for all formats general, $11.19 for a child and $11.65 for a senior. Matinees (1PM-5PM) were huge repping 35%.
We’ve learned that The Little Mermaid had the biggest global promotional partner campaign for a Disney branded live-action title (not Lucasfilm or Marvel Cinematic Universe), estimated at $80M in value.
While there was no car partner, as is standard on a Marvel movie, Disney counted myriad ad partners:
–McDonald’s launched a Happy Meal program supported by an “under the sea fun” themed drive-thru.
–HSN and Disney teamed up with Regal to launch the first shoppable augmented reality experience of its kind for a collectible ticket, supported by a two-hour special.
–Mattel broke new ground with its manufacturing to create doll hair that depicts Ariel’s. The item was so hot, that the social presale drop sold out within 24 hours and was ranked No. 1 best seller in dolls across various retailers. In addition, they’ve created eight dolls to support the launch of the Mom Influencer Campaign focused on Black mothers, and launched a first-time global partnership to develop a custom TV spot.
–BOOKING.COM designed a bespoke listing for the Ultimate Little Mermaid Getaway that brought the ocean’s aesthetic to a home on land.
–ULTA partnered with two beauty brands, including Black Girl Sunscreen and Pacifica, for the first time ever and created a licensed collection of beauty products inspired by the film. Separately, Gelish created 36 film-inspired nail colors with 250k+ bottles available globally and a custom spot featured at Times Square.
–Kellogg’s made a splash at nearly 4K Walmart Stores with exclusive packs of Mermazing Berry, inspired by the film, as well as adding on-pack movie ticket offers to fan favorite cereals.
–Annie’s created a limited-edition line of snacks and pasta products featuring Ariel on-pack and a movie ticket offer on 4.1M+ packs.
–Pandora developed a custom The Little Mermaid collection with a global ad campaign over 80 markets.
–Carol’s Daughter – the first hair care brand to be on exhibit in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture- developed a limited-edition line of products accompanied by a campaign called Let Your Curls Sing with activations at mass and boutique retail, including a Movie Ticket Offer and influencer support.
The campaign for Little Mermaid fired off at D23 last year with Marshall and star Halle Bailey onstage, showing attendees a first look of “Part of Your World” and debuting the teaser trailer.
There was a big music integration that was key to the campaign, spread across theaters, music streamers, Amazon and influencers. There were digital and deluxe versions of the soundtrack in CD and vinyl. Additionally, Target will play custom content with talent and film footage in 1,800+ locations. Spotify had an exclusive playlist takeover; a Disney Hub Placement, TV & Movies Hub placement, and in-app card modal was launched. The film also took over SiriusXM’s Disney Hits channel. In addition, several social media influencers have been singing classic songs from the film.
RelishMix measured The Little Mermaid social awareness stats before the pic’s opening and it stood 36% above family live genre norms across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok at 589.5 million. Comps included Sonic the Hedgehog (577M SMU/$58.1M), Detective Pikachu (569M SMU/$54.4M) and Dumbo (281M SMU/$46M). Disney social media pages and Disney music pumped this up. There was viral reposting with a strong rate of 31:1 off 19 videos on YouTube.
Total ticket sales for all movies over the 4-day is projected to be around $207.5M, which is off 7% from last year’s Memorial Day stretch when Top Gun: Maverick opened to a record high for the holiday of $160.5M.
The chart as of Sunday AM–updating:
1) Little Mermaid (Dis) 4,320 theaters, Fri $38M, Sat $30M Sun 3-day $104M, 4-day $121M-$123M/Wk 1
2) Fast X (Uni) 4,088 (+42) theaters, Fri $6.3M (-78%), Sat $8.5M Sun $8.1M Mon $5.67M 3-day $23M (-66%), 4-day $28.6M, Total $113.6M/Wk 2
3) Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (Dis) 3,940 (-510) theaters, Fri $5.4M (-36%) 3-day $20.6M (-36%) 4-day $26.6M, Total $306M/Wk 4
4) The Super Mario Bros Movie (Uni) 3,148 (-392) theaters, Fri $1.69M (-29%) Sat $2.4M Sun $2.1M Mon $2.06M 3-day $6.27M (-35%), 4-day $8.3M, Total $560.6M/Wk 8
5) The Machine (Leg/Sony) 2,409 theaters, Fri $2.2M Sat $1.4M Sun $1.2M Mon $915K 3-day $4.9M, 4-day $5.8M/Wk 1
6) About My Father (LG) 2,464 theaters, Fri $1.46M Sat $1.45M Sun $1.34M Mon $1M 3-day $4.25M 4-day $5.25M/Wk 1
7) Kandahar (OR/Briar) 2,105 theaters, Fri $920K Sat $745K Sun $745K Mon $590K 3-day $2.4M 4-day $3M /Wk 1
8) You Hurt My Feelings (A24) 912 theaters Fri $474K Sat $481K Sun $433K Mon $377K 3-day $1.389M 4-day $1.76M/Wk 1
9) Evil Dead Rise (NL) 921 (-1,252 theaters) Fri $300K (-57%) Sat $385K Sun $367K 3-day $1.05M (-57%) 4-day $1.3M Total $66.4M/Wk 6
10) Book Club: Next Chapter (Foc) 1,339 (-2,174) theaters, Fri $250K (-73%), Sat $320K Sun $330K Mon $270K 3-day $900K (-70%) 4-day $1.17M, Total $16.3M/Wk 3
SATURDAY AM: Disney’s The Little Mermaid is staying on its great course, maintaining that $38M Friday (which includes previews) for what is shaping up to be an estimated $104M 3-day and a 4-day between $120M-$130M. At that upper part of the threshold, the pic is the third-best opening for a movie over Memorial Day weekend.
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 7:28:51 GMT -5
King Triton's armor and crown:
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 7:25:47 GMT -5
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 4:22:30 GMT -5
Ariel's pink celebration dress:
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Post by veu on May 29, 2023 4:17:53 GMT -5
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