Disney's The Little Mermaid LIVE ACTION

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Jonah Hauer-King & Josh O'Connor on Oppidan Talks
28 may 2020

Henry & Walter chat with Jonah initially and then are joined later by Josh to talk all things acting including what makes a good actor and the pressure of getting the job after months of auditions.

Between them Josh and Jonah have starred in The Durrells, World on Fire, The Crown and Disney's The Little Mermaid.

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Finally a photo of Halle and Jonah together! Halle Bailey wishes TLM co-star Jonah Hauer-King a happy birthday:

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From Skyler Shuler instagram stories:

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Journalist Simonetta Camminiti speak about black Ariel in a radioshow on RSI Rete Due:

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From CBR:

The Batman, Witcher, Little Mermaid Get Green Light to Restart Production
The United Kingdom will allow film and TV production to restart, opening the door for The Batman, The Witcher and Little Mermaid to resume filming.

BY SAMUEL GELMAN
PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

The United Kingdom and its health bodies have given the green light for film and television production to restart after being shut down due to the coronavirus, meaning The Batman can resume filming.

According to The Guardian, the guidelines were drawn up by the British Film Commission and the British Film Institute and include rules on physical distancing, safety training and temperature tests. While this means that all film and TV projects in the country can resume production, it will be up to each individual project to make the decision of when to return.

Aside from the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film, the UK also hosts the filming locations of Disney's live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, Fantastic Beasts 3 and the second season of The Witcher. Production in the country has been shut down since mid-March.

The Batman shut down production with about a quarter of the film shot, according to director Matt Reeves. While the delay will not impact the film's story, it did push its release date back. Originally scheduled to premiere on June 25, 2021, the film will not debut on Oct. 1, 2021. This delay impacted the rest of the DCEU calendar, moving Shazam! 2 from April 1, 2022 to Nov. 4, 2022 and The Flash from July 1, 2022 to June 3, 2022.

Even with the green light, simply resuming production will not be easy. Zoë Kravitz — who plays Catwoman in the film — said that the film requires large amounts of close contact. Even getting in and out of her suit requires high levels of touch.

Directed and co-written by Matt Reeves, The Batman stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Jayme Lawson and Peter Sarsgaard. The film is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on Oct. 1, 2021.

The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg, Freya Allan as Ciri and Joey Batey as Jaskier. Season 1 is now available on Netflix.

Franchise veteran David Yates is attached to direct Fantastic Beasts 3, with Harry Pottercreator J.K. Rowling writing the script with Steve Kloves. The film stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller and Jude Law. The release date for the film is set for Nov. 12, 2021.

Directed by Rob Marshall, The Little Mermaid stars Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King and Daveed Diggs. The film does not yet have a release date.

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From ComicBook:

Fantastic Beasts Sequel and The Little Mermaid Can Restart Production Thanks to New UK Bill
By JAMIE JIRAK - May 31, 2020 12:00 pm EDT

Due to the coronavirus, many film productions have been shut down over the last couple of months. Now, according to a report by The Guardian, it appears some films have been given the go-ahead to begin filming in the UK as early as July, including The Batman. One other UK-based movie that was put on hold earlier this year was Fantastic Beasts 3, which halted production just before it was set to begin in the middle of March. Another movie that was affected by the pandemic was the live-action The Little Mermaid, which was supposed to begin filming on March 21st.

"The approval of the new guidelines paves the way for the UK’s film and high-end television production industry, which includes series that cost £1m-plus per episode, to get cameras rolling again – potentially as soon as July," The Guardian writes. "The resumption of production, which ground to a halt in the face of the spread of the coronavirus, will be warmly welcomed by broadcasters, streaming services, and cinema owners facing a possible future content drought."

“This is a green light that signals that the UK is open for business again for film and high-end TV production,” an industry source shared with The Guardian. “Many productions have to get up and running again in the next two months or they won’t get made this year as they rely on summer weather and conditions.”

The full title for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3 has not been revealed as of yet, but it will see the return of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling as its screenwriter, joined for the first time in this prequel series by Harry Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves. The pair will also produce the film alongside four-time Harry Potter executive producer Lionel Wigram, and Wizarding World franchise producer David Heyman. David Yates will once again direct.

As for The Little Mermaid, the movie's star, Halle Bailey, previously said the remake of the 1989 animated film was "really coming together" before production was suspended. Despite filming being postponed indefinitely, Bailey does not expect the scheduling shift to impact the film's star-studded cast: "I mean, the whole world is kind of on pause. I was in London since the beginning of the year, and about to start filming, and of course, this pandemic has caused everybody to slow down."

What do you think about movies resuming production as early as July? Tell us in the comments.

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From Skyler Shuler instagram stories:

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http://instagram.com/p/CAa0DqiH5sD

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From Rollingout:

Chloe x Halle share message of unity with George Floyd’s family; delay album release
By Cassidy Sparks | June 5, 2020

L-R Halle and Chloe Bailey of Chloe x Halle (Image source: Instagram – @chloexhalle)

The Chloe x Halle Bailey experiment has quickly risen to fame with their musical talent and the support of Beyoncé.

The sister duo announced on Tuesday, June 2, 2o20, that they are delaying the release of the new album, UnGodly Hour, the follow-up to their debut project, The Kids Are Alright.

In the video statement about the project, which originally was set to be released this Friday, June 5, Chloe and Halle shared that they are postponing the drop date to be in solidarity with George Floyd’s family.

The video begins with 21-year-old Chloe speaking.

“So, first and foremost, we just want to say we love you guys,” said the singer. “Over these past few days, we have just been really angry, and we’ve been hurting and physically shaken up over everything that’s been going on. With that being said, my sister and I felt like it was only right to postpone our album that was supposed to be coming this Friday, June 5 and we’ll be moving it to June 12. In honor of all of the lives lost [to] police brutality, we felt like it was right to postpone and fully shine our attention and our work on them.”

Halle, 20, who will star as Ariel in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid, continued the statement.

“Music has been used for a long time to bring us joy and healing in difficult times like this. That is why we are very excited to share it with you next week on Friday because we’re all going through this together. Emotionally, this week, we have been very up and down because of the Black men that are in our family, our father, our little brother. We think about them when things like this happen. So we definitely just want to continue to shine the light on George Floyd and him getting the justice that he deserves exactly.”

After also mentioning Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery’s names, Chloe went on to give their fans credit for using their platforms for change.

“Without justice, there is no peace, and we’re very proud of you all for using your voices to make a change, said the “Grown-ish” star.

“And we are with you, and we love you. And, yeah, we’re sending so much light and love to you all, and stay safe.”

This isn’t the first time the Bailey sisters have lent their voices to the cause.

Nearly a week ago, they sang a compilation of songs to honor George Floyd’s life.

They beautifully sang “We Shall Overcome” intertwined with the Negro national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

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From E!Online:

Los príncipes Disney existen en la vida real y puedes seguirlos ¡Míralos!
por MARCO SALAZAR | Traducido por | Sáb., 16 May. 2020 9:09 AM

Estos guapos chicos son los clones en carne y hueso de los soñados príncipes Disney, y de seguro querrás vivir feliz por siempre con alguno.

Conócelos en el video y da el primer paso: Seguirlos en Instagram.

En noviembre, finalmente la compañía de Mickey reveló el actor elegido para interpretar al príncipe Eric en la versión live-action que preparan del clásico La Sirenita, en donde el papel de Ariel estará a cargo de la joven cantante Halle Bailey.

Se trata del británico Jonah Hauer-King.

Para algunos esta no fue una buena noticia, especialmente porque Harry Styles estaba compitiendo para interpretar a Eric a principios de este año. Sin embargo, una fuente cercana al proyecto le dijo previamente a E! News, "Si bien [Harry] es fanático del proyecto, ha rechazado respetuosamente la oferta".

Po otra parte, Christian Lee Navarro (Tony Padilla en 13 Reasons Why) criticó duramente la elección del Jonah para el papel.

"Después de meses de estar viendo a todas las personas de color en las que podían pensar para el papel del príncipe Eric, Disney de alguna manera todavía eligió a un hombre blanco...", escribió en Twitter.

Continuó Christian: "Supongo que diversidad es solo una palabra. Y eso es Hollywood. Una persona morena es suficiente, dos protagonistas de color son impensables".

Desde luego, esto no estuvo ni cerca del revuelo mundial que se desató cuando se anunció que Ariel en este caso sería una chica negra.

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English translation:

Disney princes exist in real life and you can follow them. Check them out!
by MARCO SALAZAR

These handsome boys are the flesh and blood clones of the dreamed Disney princes, and surely you want to live happily ever after with one.
Get to know them in the video and take the first step: Follow them on Instagram.

In November, Mickey's company finally revealed the actor chosen to play Prince Eric in the live-action version they prepare of the classic The Little Mermaid, where the role of Ariel will be in charge of the young singer Halle Bailey.
This is the British Jonah Hauer-King.

For some this was not good news, especially since Harry Styles was competing to play Eric earlier this year. However, a source close to the project previously told E! News, "While [Harry] is a fan of the project, he has respectfully rejected the offer."

On the other hand, Christian Lee Navarro (Tony Padilla in 13 Reasons Why) strongly criticized the Jonah's choice for the role.
"After months of seeing all the people of color they could think of for the role of Prince Eric, Disney somehow still chose a white man ..." he wrote on Twitter.

Christian continued: "I guess diversity is just a word. And that's Hollywood. One dark person is enough, two main characters of color are unthinkable."
Of course, this was nowhere near the world buzz that broke out when it was announced that Ariel in this case would be a black girl.

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From Skyler Shuler instagram stories:

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From TheGuardian:

Chloe x Halle: Ungodly Hour review – classy R&B from precocious all-rounders

The Bailey sisters’ second album is sophisticated and inventive – and about as far from Disney princesses as you can imagine
Rachel Aroesti

Rachel Aroesti

Fri 12 Jun 2020 09.00 BST

The talents of Chloe and Halle Bailey have never languished in obscurity. As young children, the Atlanta-born sisters acted in big-budget movies; when they decided to diversify into music in their early teens, they were swiftly snapped up by Beyoncé’s management company (they later made a cameo appearance in her visual album Lemonade). Since then, the duo have established themselves as precociously capable all-rounders, receiving Grammy nods for their 2018 debut The Kids Are Alright and becoming regulars on teen sitcom Grown-ish (there’s also a game-changing profile boost on the horizon, with Halle due to star as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid).

Despite their lifelong entanglement in the showbiz machine, Chloe and Halle are not your average child stars. Their music has never been tween-friendly chart-bait – instead, they emerged with a strain of sophisticated and elegant R&B that you’d have a hard time categorising as juvenilia. On their second album, the pair double down on this mode, matching sumptuous harmonies with intricate beats. In service to their impeccable cool and class, the pair swerve big choruses and obvious melodies, and exercise restraint when diverting away from their signature style. Instead of pop sugar-hit or arresting experimentation, Ungodly Hour’s draw lies in the detail; not only the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it strangeness – Busy Boy briefly opens with tremulous blues that could have been recorded in the 1930s, while the highly entertaining Tipsy mixes casually threatening lyrics with curious percussion sounds – but in the slow-burn appeal of the pair’s vocal melodies, which are habitually inventive, ornate and hauntingly beautiful.

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From People:

Halle Bailey On Overcoming Racism After The Little Mermaid Casting: 'Just Keep Pushing'

Halle Bailey is revealing how she overcame racist criticism after being cast as Ariel in the upcoming live-action film The Little Mermaid
By Alexia Fernandez June 11, 2020 03:20 PM

Halle Bailey is opening up about overcoming adversity after being cast as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid.

The singer and actress, 20, appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue with her sister, Chloe, 21, while speaking about their upcoming album Ungodly Hour.

"We've always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation," Halle told the magazine. "No matter what anybody has to say about you... just keep pushing."

Halle was cast as Ariel in July 2019 after "an extensive search," by director Rob Marshall, who has previously directed Chicago.

"It was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role," Marshall said in a statement at the time.

But Halle's casting came with internet criticism from those against the idea of a black woman in the role.

Some even went so far as to start a petition titled #NotMyAriel to have Disney recast the character with a white actress resembling the red-headed underwater princess from the 1989 animated film. Fed up with the comments, Disney’s cable network Freeform responded with "An open letter to the Poor, Unfortunate Souls" who found an issue with Bailey’s casting.

Halle Berry also gave the young star support, writing on Twitter at the time, "In case you needed a reminder… Halles get it DONE. Congratulations on this amazing opportunity, we can’t wait to see what you do!"

Halle first rose to fame after she and Chloe caught the attention of Beyoncé after their rendition of "Pretty Hurts" in 2015. The two sisters make up the R&B duo ChloexHalle.

Last week, the sisters announced they were postponing the release of their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour, from June 5 to June 12 in honor of George Floyd and to reflect on the protests that erupted around the country to denounce police brutality against black communities.

"Over these past few days we’ve been really angry and we’ve been hurting and physically shaken up over everything that’s been going on," Chloe said in a video they shared on Twitter. "With that being said, my sister and I felt like it was only right to postpone our album that was supposed to be coming this Friday, June 5 and we’ll be moving it to June 12."

"In honor of all the lives lost in police brutality, we felt like it was right to postpone, and fully shine our attention and our work on them," Chloe added.

Halle agreed, saying, "Music has been used for a long time to bring us joy and healing in difficult times like this."

"We’re all going through this together," she added.

Ungodly Hour is out tomorrow.

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From DailyMail:

Chloe x Halle pose in stunning new Teen Vogue cover story shot by a drone.. as they talk police brutality and postponing their album

By Sarah Sotoodeh For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:40 BST, 11 June 2020 | Updated: 23:01 BST, 11 June 2020

Chloe X Halle posed for a glamorous shoot for the cover of Teen Vogue, which was shot by a drone to comply with the CDC's recommended social-distancing guidelines.

The sisters, who postponed the release of their album Ungodly Hour due to police brutality, posed together for the stunning June Teen Vogue shoot at their home in Los Angeles.

Chloe said: 'In honor of all of the lives lost in police brutality, we felt like it was right to postpone, and fully shine our attention and our work on them.'

In the editor's note, it says: 'This shoot followed the CDC's recommended social-distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic and was shot by drone.'

The siblings Chloe, 21, and Halle Bailey, 20, revealed they were postponing their new album after they watched the worldwide uprising against police brutality, sparked by the killing of black man George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.

Halle said in the video they shared on their social media to announce the postponement four days before its scheduled release: 'Music has been used for a long time to bring us joy and healing in difficult times like this.'

The duo were signed to Beyonce's Parkwood Management label in 2015 after the singer saw their rendition of her song Pretty Hurts on their YouTube channel; they were 11 and 13 when they launched their channel.

On their new album, Halle said: ''For Ungodly Hour we were excited to just flip the narrative of being the perfect angel and show the other sides of us...'



Adding: 'The dark side, the naughty side, the things that happen that you don't see behind the scenes.'

Chloe said that the new album shows their 'sensual side because we are growing as young women,' adding that they still kept it 'classy and cute.'

'It was just really fun for us to do that. We also wanted to start dancing this era, and just something really simple. And it makes us so happy to see everyone doing that dance on TikTok.'

The album title 'Ungodly hour' came after they wrote the title track with Disclosure, with Chloe saying that she was watching something and heard that phrase and wrote it down in her notes.

'[It] kind of stuck out to all of us, and we were like. "What can you say with this?" We all came up with this sentence: "Love me at the ungodly hour," which means love me when I'm at my worst; love me when I'm not all dolled up and made up. Love me when all my insecurities are out on the table.'

The album cover also shows their evolution as young women, with wings and the duo wearing latex dresses.

'The way our music has evolved is exactly how we're evolving as young women.'

Chloe on their evolution said: 'We are learning to embrace who we truly are. Our insecurities, our sexuality, owning our power. I'm grateful that we are given a space where we can do that comfortably. And I'm grateful for our parents, because they instilled in us that we need to be strong and independent young women.'

Looking forward to the future, Chloe said 'awards would be nice. Being at the top of these Hot 100 lists would be beautiful and amazing, but as long as I'm growing and I'm a better version of myself tomorrow than I was today, I am content.'

In addition to their singing career, the duo star in the Freeform show grown-ish, alongside Yara Shahidi.

Halle is also set to play Ariel in Disney's upcoming live action The Little Mermaid.

On the negative criticism: 'We've always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation. No matter what anybody has to say about you... just keep pushing.'

Chloe finished filming The Georgetown Project, a horror that also stars Russell Crowe.

'I'm really protective of my energy, I'm very spiritual, and I love God. So I was constantly praying when I was on set. But surprisingly, the energy on set was so positive. And I learned so much by being around all of these Oscar-winning actors,' Chloe said.

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From TeenVogue:

Chloe x Halle Talk Police Brutality and Postponing Their Album
“The way our music has evolved is exactly how we're evolving as young women.”

By Darian Symoné Harvin

Photography by Elizabeth Weinberg
June 11, 2020
Canon Brownell

Editor’s note: This shoot followed the CDC’s recommended social-distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic and was shot by drone. We hope it gives you some solace or escape in this trying time. Currently, our whole team is social distancing as we work from home. We sincerely hope, if you are able to, you are too.

Four days before the release of their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour, Chloe x Halle addressed their fans to let them know they’re postponing it. In a video posted across their social channels, sisters Chloe, 21, and Halle Bailey, 20, sat shoulder to shoulder at their home in Los Angeles, surrounded by hovering green trees, and tried to sum up their range of emotions after witnessing a global uprising against police brutality.

“In honor of all of the lives lost in police brutality, we felt like it was right to postpone, and fully shine our attention and our work on them,” Chloe said, with both a shake and clarity in her voice, in the video to the duo's 2.7 million followers. Halle added, “Music has been used for a long time to bring us joy and healing in difficult times like this.”

Just weeks before, George Perry Floyd, a Black man living in Minneapolis, died in police custody while a white officer’s knee was pressed on his neck. As video of his killing spread, and after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, protests sparked around the world demanding accountability and allyship with the Black Lives Matter movement. On the day Chloe, Halle, and I spoke by phone, Tony McDade, a Black trans man in Tallahassee, Florida, was fatally shot by an officer. In Los Angeles, where the sisters live, protesters strung their bodies together to temporarily shut down the 101 freeway. In Atlanta, where they were born, six police officers were charged after being accused of using excessive force on two Black college students who were tased and pulled out of their cars days earlier.

During a time when fans are more critical of how celebrities engage in civil rights activism, Grammy-nominated musicians and actors Chloe and Halle Bailey don’t tiptoe. They urge fans to sign petitions, donate, vote, and recognize Black life, early and often. They celebrate Black joy year-round. This is what their followers have grown to expect from them. Chloe and Halle have always had something to say, and it just so happens to be an important time to speak up.



It’s hard to wrap your head around the unbreakable confidence it takes to be a female pop artist if you aren’t one. Thankfully, Chloe and Halle have each other. For decades, the bond among members of Black singing girl groups has given audiences soulful and fun music. In the '90s, groups like SWV, En Vogue, and Zhané made upbeat R&B music that made you want to dance with your homegirls. Now, contemporary duos like KING, Van Jess, and Ibeyi stand out for their rapturous vocals enveloped in dramatic production. Chloe x Halle add to this legacy by singing, writing, and producing ethereal music that resonates with the girl next door.

Yet there are distinct differences in the duo’s vocal style; they don’t try to match each other’s voices to create some sort of uniformity. Rather, they play off of rhythm and song pacing to meld their voices. When they do sing choruses and bridges together, their voices, albeit distinct, create layered, otherworldly melodies.

The duo’s sound is often described as angelic, giving leeway for some to describe them as two women without sin. Chloe and Halle want to shatter this idea because it’s not realistic. “For Ungodly Hour we were so excited to just flip the narrative of being the perfect angel and show the other sides of us.…," says Halle. "The dark side, the naughty side, the things that happen that you don't see behind the scenes.”

The majority of the 13 songs on the album are about navigating messy situations — sometimes ones that you have caused. In the midst of trying to be a better friend or romantic partner, you know that you’ll always be imperfect, and decide to love yourself anyway.

“I've always been a jazz head," Halle says. “I don't know why, but there's something about the pain and the love and the heartbreak that you can truly feel through the essence of those songs that are sung by Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald.” As of late, Chloe’s “really, really been inspired by '90s music and early 2000s production,” a vibe you can hear and see in “Do It,” the second single off of Ungodly Hour.

“We wanted to show our sensual side because we are growing as young women, but we still kept it classy and cute,” Chloe says. “It was just really fun for us to do that. We also wanted to start dancing this era, and just something really simple. And it makes us so happy to see everyone doing that dance on TikTok.”

Chloe expands on how the name of the album and title track came about after working with the U.K. duo Disclosure: “We wrote this song [the title track “Ungodly Hour”] with Disclosure, and we had the best time,” she recalls. “I forgot what I was watching, but I heard the phrase ‘ungodly hour’ and wrote it in my notes. [It] kind of stuck out to all of us, and we were like, ‘What can you say with this?’ We all came up with this sentence: ‘Love me at the ungodly hour,’ which means love me when I'm at my worst; love me when I'm not all dolled up and made up. Love me when all my insecurities are out on the table.”

“We started writing about when you're in a situationship with a guy and the chemistry is there, and you know the love is there and your connection is so deep, but he's not going all in," she continues. "For some reason he doesn't want to commit. He's entertaining other options, and it's just saying, ‘You know what? I love myself enough to walk away and put the brakes on this and to pause this. So when you decide you like yourself, when you decide you need someone, when you don't have to think about it — love me at the ungodly hour.’”

Other emotionally complex tracks on the album include “Forgive Me,” a haunting song inspired by Chloe’s own life, after she discovered a guy she was involved with was going back and forth between her and another young woman. “I Wonder What She Thinks of Me” is a song that tells the story of the new love, the one a man gets with after he’s broken up with his ex.

The vocalists are eager to make music that grows with them and becomes more layered as they do. “The way our music has evolved is exactly how we're evolving as young women,” Chloe says. The chromelike wings they turn around and show on their album cover, worn with black, latex dresses, are symbolic of their strength and power.

When I ask what they hope for in the future, the Bailey sisters seem at ease. Chloe would love to work with BTS: “Their performing — it's top-notch. I'll sit at my computer and watch all of their music videos and all of their performances.”

“Awards would be nice," she adds. "Being at the top of these Hot 100 lists would be beautiful and amazing, but as long as I'm growing and I'm a better version of myself tomorrow than I was today, I am content.”

The duo is used to releasing music during times of political duress. Two years ago, when Chloe x Halle were part of our music issue for the release of their debut album The Kids Are Alright, the world was grappling with an immigration travel ban enacted by President Donald Trump, the #MeToo movement, and pressing climate change legislation. That album was an intonation from the sisters to young activists approaching human rights issues head-on: “Do it while you young. Don't let them turn you numb. Don't let them get you strung. Ooh, let me put you on,” they sing on their first album's title song.

“I was 15 through 17, and Chloe was 17 through 19 during the making of the album,” Halle says of their debut project. “We were still very young. We were still trying to figure out what we wanted, and I think that showed in the music.”

As artists, the singers say their first album was about proving they could play an active, hands-on role in the production of their own music in an industry dominated by men. As two teenage women, it was about showing the world that, although they didn't have all the answers and weren’t sure what was lurking around every corner, they had the guts to find out. At that point in their careers they had been signed to Beyoncé’s Parkwood for five years and had released one other project, the Sugar Symphony EP, in 2016. But aside from opening tour performances and high-profile appearances, they hadn't become household names.

Now, amid a health pandemic and a country in unrest because of its history of white supremacy, Chloe and Halle are navigating being famous and also having a distinct voice. While finding ways to take care of themselves, the sisters are also promoting an album from their home, in the rooms where they first honed their craft as writers, instrumentalists, and producers. “We've kind of gotten back to our roots and started doing what originally got us started," Halle says, "which is doing YouTube covers, interacting on social media, and connecting with our beautiful fans through there.”

A lot has changed in their personal lives as well. They're private about the details, but say they’re learning more about guys and finding themselves in relationships and situationships. They’re experiencing more love, heartbreak, and the misguided antics of boys. "We have to take our power back as women and not allow ourselves to be played,” Chloe riffs.

In January, the third season of their Freeform show, grown-ish, dropped. In the college-centered comedy, led by Yara Shahidi, Chloe plays Jazz and Halle plays Sky, ambitious twin sisters who attend the fictional state school Cal U. Jazz is balancing being in love with her boyfriend Doug (played by Diggy Simmons) and schoolwork; Sky is focused on being a track star while navigating her interracial relationship. Like the sisters in real life, their characters are witty, impeccably stylish, and proud of their Blackness. But unlike Chloe and Halle, they’re far more overt about their love lives — often kissing in hallways and openly discussing their sex lives — and unfiltered opinions.

Before stay-at-home orders went into place, Chloe and Halle had been expanding farther into Hollywood, and pursuing separate film projects.

In July 2019, it was announced that Halle is set to play Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid. Many saw Halle’s breakout feature-film role as a huge win for inclusion, but, like clockwork, people on social media found an issue with the revamped iteration of Ariel being played by a Black woman. Halle spoke out on the discourse, telling Variety at the time, “I feel like I’m dreaming, and I’m just grateful. I don’t pay attention to the negativity. I just feel like this role is something bigger than me. It’s going to be beautiful.”

Halle remains grateful, but says of the negative criticism, “We've always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation. No matter what anybody has to say about you...just keep pushing.”

Like Halle, Chloe is also expanding her acting chops in feature projects. In December, Chloe wrapped filming for her role in the horror film The Georgetown Project, starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Simpkins. “I'm really protective of my energy, I'm very spiritual, and I love God,” she says about the thriller. “So I was constantly praying when I was on set. But surprisingly, the energy on set was so positive. And I learned so much by being around all of these Oscar-winning actors.”

Humility is a running trait between the sisters. They don’t hide their confidence, but are also God-fearing and incredibly gracious. They’re media-trained and polite, but also find a way to be frank. They say this album is a “whole different world” for them as they reveal more of their personalities, while exploring what it means to be grown women.

“We are learning to embrace who we truly are,” Chloe says about their music evolution. “Our insecurities, our sexuality, owning our power. I'm grateful that we are given a space where we can do that comfortably. And I'm grateful for our parents, because they instilled in us that we need to be strong and independent young women.”

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From Iheartradio:

Halle Bailey Talks Overcoming Racist Reaction to 'Little Mermaid' Casting

Halle Bailey is opening up about how she felt when she was cast as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid, and trolls reacted with predictably loathsome levels of racism. Several went so far as to start a petition titled #NotMyAriel.

The 20-year-old appeared on Teen Vogue with her sister Chloe, and inside, they also discussed their upcoming album Ungodly Hour.

Halle said: "We've always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation. No matter what anybody has to say about you... just keep pushing."

Director Rob Marshall said at the time the news broke: "It was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role."

Several celebs, including Halle Barry, responded warmly to the news. She wrote: "In case you needed a reminder… Halles get it DONE. Congratulations on this amazing opportunity, we can't wait to see what you do!"

Last week, the pair said they would postpone the release of Ungodly Hour from June 5 to June 12 in respect of George Floyd and to honor the protests going on against police brutality.

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From Hotnewhiphop:

Halle Bailey Recalls Dealing With Racism Following "The Little Mermaid" Casting

Halle Bailey of Chloe x Halle opened up about overcoming the racism she endured after it was announced that she'd been cast as Ariel in the live action remake of "The Little Mermaid."

Halle Bailey was the subject of plenty of racist scrutiny last summer after the news broke that she'd been cast as Ariel in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, but the talented artist did not let any of the hate get to her. Halle appeared alongside her older sister, Chloe, who together make up the group Chloe x Halle, on the cover of Teen Vogue this week. In their cover story, Halle was asked about the negative criticism she received by folks who took issue with a Black woman playing the fictional mermaid.

“We've always learned to just keep our heads up no matter the situation," she said. "No matter what anybody has to say about you...just keep pushing.”

Halle officially landed the exciting role last July after director Rob Marshall conducted "an extensive search" to find the perfect Ariel. "It was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role," he said at the time. While many were thrilled for Halle, others decided to turn a happy situation sour, and project their own racist views onto her casting. Some even had the nerve to start a petition titled #NotMyAriel in an attempt to have Disney recast the character with a white actress that they felt would more closely resemble the animated fish-human hybrid. In response, Disney’s cable network, Freeform, wrote "An open letter to the Poor, Unfortunate Souls" who were vehemently against their casting choice.

All the while, Halle stayed positive. “I feel like I’m dreaming, and I’m just grateful," she told Variety at the time of her casting. "I don’t pay attention to the negativity. I just feel like this role is something bigger than me. It’s going to be beautiful.”