Halle Bailey and Ariel's Red Hair

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Source: www.cinemablend.com/news/2569405/the-little-mermaid-filming-italy-halle-bailey-committing-ariel-red-hair:

As The Little Mermaid Shifts Filming, Looks Like Halle Bailey's Committing To Ariel's Red Hair
JESSICA RAWDEN
PUBLISHED: JUN. 23. 2021 11:53 AM

Nearly two years after grown-ish actress Halle Bailey (not to be confused with Halle Berry) was cast as the new, live-action Ariel, The Little Mermaid has finally shifted its filming to Italy for some major scenes. While Bailey has recently shared some looks at her “work” day and more without giving anything away about her character's look, it now looks like the actress will be committing to Ariel's red hair.

A recent post from Halle Bailey on her Instagram Story confirms the actress has been hard at work on the new project. In fact, she shared a post about winding down after a day of work (presumably on The Little Mermaid) and trying to get her hair back in order. She captioned the photo "another long day at work, which means hair will take centuries to dry."



People have been on the lookout for Halle Bailey getting into Ariel mode for a while, particularly following the news in April that the beach-y portion of production would be occurring on the Italian island of Sardinia sometime this summer. (Formerly, the movie had shot some in Pinewood Studios in London after rehearsals for the musical kicked off way earlier this year.) In fact, the one time she sorta, kinda showed her hair it didn’t deter someone from commenting, “Y’all see those red locs.” So, people have definitely been on the lookout for the debut of Halle Bailey’s live-action Ariel look in recent months.


Having said this, the paparazzi has been doing its thing and there are photos of Halle Bailey confirmed on set if you search hard enough. Those first looks seem to indicate she will be rocking red hair in the movie, though the color is subtler than the animated version of The Little Mermaid's vibrant locks. At some point I'm sure we'll get more official and up-close-and-personal looks at characters like Ariel, Ursula, King Triton and more in the live-action version, but for now we'll just have to wait and see what the cast and more post during production.

Speaking of, the new movie has been coming together for a few months, as producer Lin-Manuel Miranda mentioned that rehearsals had started back in February and Melissa McCarthy also confirmed that bit of news. The Little Mermaid has a stacked cast and will star Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, McCarthy, Javier Bardem and plenty more. It will also feature voice work from Daveed Diggs (as Sebastian), Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina. Now that filming has kicked off, I think it's time for the really hard-hitting questions, such as: Will the live-action Little Mermaid be able to pull off a seashell bikini? Only time and an official trailer for the upcoming movie will tell.

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Black hair or red hair?

http://instagram.com/p/CQb6MDfhBwJ

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Source: Skyler Shuler instagram stories:

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Halle Bailey post a photo of her and her father on the set of The Little Mermaid.

Here Halle with Ariel's hair:

http://instagram.com/p/Ce_fvrWKwh4

http://instagram.com/p/Ce_zwhOuMz0

http://instagram.com/p/CfBt7D6uL7Y

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Source: Twitter

They literally just confirmed the bright red hair!
Once again it'll be red red for mermaid and ginger for human

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Source: ew.com/movies/little-mermaid-halle-bailey-hair-locs-interview/

Exclusive
'Little Mermaid' star Halle Bailey says bringing her locs to Ariel's hair was 'really special'
"I'm just grateful that I've been able to take the essence of me and mix the two," Bailey tells EW.
Nick Romano
By Nick Romano
September 19, 2022 at 06:58 PM EDT

Singer and actress Halle Bailey says it was "a beautiful experience" getting to bring "the essence of me" to the character of Ariel in Disney's live-action, CG-animated The Little Mermaid. That included her hair locs.

Bailey sat down with EW at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif. to discuss her role after a first look was revealed at the fan convention. She says director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Into the Woods) wanted her to incorporate aspects of herself into the role, such as red locs to complement her own hair.

"With Rob, he's so amazing and just saying, 'I see you and I want to bring you into the character,'" Bailey, 22, says. "So it was a beautiful thing. My hair, for example — incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me. The outfit, the fins, everything. It's just amazing. I'm just grateful that I've been able to take the essence of me and mix the two."

Footage of Bailey in The Little Mermaid was screened during a Walt Disney Pictures presentation at the D23 Expo earlier this month. The reveal, including a trailer, featured Bailey's Ariel singing her own rendition of the classic song "Part of Your World."

The unveiling of Bailey in character has already made an impression on young Black girls as parents continue to share video reactions on social media of their children watching the trailer for the first time. The footage on YouTube has been viewed 21.5 million times since it dropped.

"We all yearn for something greater," Bailey says, explaining why viewers resonate with Ariel. "We all relate to feeling like we want something better for ourselves, and I think the strength in her is that she goes for it. She goes after what she wants and what she sees for herself, and she knows she should be somewhere else. I just admire that strength of hers, and was really trying to play that in this version."

She adds that the film brings a "new story" to The Little Mermaid, one that's not just about "falling in love and wanting a boy and wanting the above world."

"It's more about what [Ariel] sees for herself and her future and her passion," she says.

The Little Mermaid, set to hit theaters May 26, 2023, also stars Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as Triton, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Awkwafina as Scuttle. The film will feature classic songs from the original soundtrack, plus four new songs written by original composer Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

"I really felt like I got strong, mentally and physically," Bailey remarks, "and I think it was a really good thing for me to do, just in terms of developing into a woman and myself, and knowing myself more. I'm more sure of myself after the filming experience, for sure."

Watch the full interview with Bailey in the video above.

Video here: ew.com/movies/little-mermaid-halle-bailey-hair-locs-interview/

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Source: collider.com/little-mermaid-halle-bailey-locs-comments/

'The Little Mermaid': Halle Bailey Discusses How Special It Was to Incorporate Her Locs Into Ariel's Hair
BY JENNIFER GLYNN
PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

'The Little Mermaid' is set to hit theatres in May 2023.

Actress Halle Bailey, who will be starring in Disney’s live action reboot of The Little Mermaid, has expressed the “beautiful experience” she had bringing her locs to the protagonist’s signature red hair. Bailey, upon request by director Rob Marshall, was glad to bring her very essence to the role.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly during the D-23 expo in Anaheim, California, Bailey explained how Marshall wanted her to bring aspects of herself to the character. “With Rob, he’s so amazing and just saying, ‘I see you and I want to bring you into the character,’” she said, adding that “it was a beautiful thing.” Part of this involved incorporating her locs into the animated Ariel’s famous red hair. “Incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me. The outfit, the fins, everything. It’s just amazing. I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to take the essence of me and mix the two.”

After a trailer of Bailey in the film singing a rendition of ‘Part of Your World’ was released earlier this month by Walt Disney Pictures, reports of Bailey’s performance already making a positive impression on young Black girls has filled social media. With the official teaser trailer already having reached 104 million views globally as of last week, parents have shared the excited reactions of their children on social media.

Previously, Bailey had stated to Variety that she wants “the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special, and that they should be a princess in every single way.” Bailey has now further explained that her admiration and interpretation of Ariel’s inner strength has contributed to this. “We all yearn for something greater,” she said in the EW interview. “We all relate to feeling like we want something better for ourselves, and I think the strength in her is that she goes for it. She goes after what she wants and what she sees for herself, and she knows she should be somewhere else.” Apart from her locs, Bailey has added that her version of Ariel is less about “falling in love and wanting a boy and wanting the above world,” and more “about what [Ariel] sees for herself and her future and her passion.”

Bailey has also spoken about how her experience working on the film has been a positive experience for herself, opening up about how it has made her stronger. “I really felt like I got strong, mentally and physically, and I think it was a really good thing for me to do, just in terms of developing into a woman and myself, and knowing myself more,” she said, adding, “I’m more sure of myself after the filming experience, for sure.”

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is set to be released in theaters in May 2023 and will showcase a well-rounded cast. The film will feature Melissa McCarthy (Thor: Love and Thunder) as the antagonist sea-witch Ursula and Jonah Hauer-King (This is the Night) as Prince Eric. Also starring in the film are Javier Bardem (Skyfall) as Ariel’s father, King Triton, Daveed Diggs (Black-ish) as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay (Luca) as Ariel’s best friend Flounder, and Awkwafina (The Farewell) as Scuttle. In addition to the original film’s classic soundtrack, four new songs composed by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda will feature in the new film, said to be written specifically for Bailey because of her “incredible vocal ability.”

The Little Mermaid will be in theaters May 26, 2023.

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http://instagram.com/p/CitNljJDdr9

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Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AfBlczOiMg

Halle Bailey on 'The Little Mermaid' | D23 2022 | Entertainment Weekly
20 set 2022

Entertainment Weekly

Halle Bailey discusses her role as Ariel in Disney's upcoming The Little Mermaid.

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http://instagram.com/p/Citz82joxNJ

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Source: www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/halle-bailey-the-little-mermaid-locs-1234596241/

PART OF HER WORLD
Halle Bailey Reflects on Bringing ‘the Essence of Me’ to Ariel in Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’
"Incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me"

BY EMILY ZEMLER

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022
MUCH TO THE dismay of racists online, Halle Bailey — of the celebrated sister duo Chloe x Halle — has embodied the titular red-haired mermaid in Disney’s forthcoming live-action reboot of The Little Mermaid. The actress and singer spoke out about the importance of representation onscreen and why, specifically, her own hair was such an important aspect of Ariel’s new look.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Bailey confirmed that director Rob Marshall encouraged her to incorporate aspects of herself into the iconic role, including her locs.

“With Rob, he’s so amazing and just saying, ‘I see you and I want to bring you into the character,'” Bailey said. “So it was a beautiful thing. My hair, for example — incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me. The outfit, the fins, everything. It’s just amazing. I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to take the essence of me and mix the two.”

She added of taking on the high-pressure role: “I really felt like I got strong, mentally and physically, and I think it was a really good thing for me to do, just in terms of developing into a woman and myself, and knowing myself more. I’m more sure of myself after the filming experience, for sure.”

Bailey also reflected on the relatability of her character. Since the film’s official trailer dropped earlier this month, videos of young Black girls watching the trailer for the first time with delight have earned millions of views.

“We all yearn for something greater,” Bailey explained of Ariel. “We all relate to feeling like we want something better for ourselves, and I think the strength in her is that she goes for it. She goes after what she wants and what she sees for herself, and she knows she should be somewhere else. I just admire that strength of hers, and was really trying to play that in this version.”

She also confirmed that the film’s story has evolved for the original 1989 animated version. The actress told EW that this take on the fairy tale narrative is not just about “falling in love and wanting a boy and wanting the above world.” Bailey added, “It’s more about what [Ariel] sees for herself and her future and her passion.”

News of Bailey’s casting as Ariel initially drew ire from some Disney fans, who took issue with a Black actress embodying the role of the fictional princess. The Grammy Award nominee addressed the controversy in an interview with Variety recently.

“I want the little girl in me and the little girls just like me who are watching to know that they’re special, and that they should be a princess in every single way,” she said. “There’s no reason that they shouldn’t be. That reassurance was something that I needed.”

The Little Mermaid also stars Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, and Melissa McCarthy. It is set to hit theaters May 26, 2023.

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Source: www.xonecole.com/halle-bailey-ariel-red-hair/

Halle Bailey On The Revolutionary Act Of Wearing Her Locs As Ariel
"That was really special to me."
xoStaffSep. 23, 2022 08:00AM EST
When the trailer for The Little Mermaid dropped, everyone finally got to see Halle Bailey as Ariel. Black women and girls raved over the singer/ actress’s beauty as the beloved character while she belted out the Disney classic song “Part of Your World.” And one of the most noticeable things that many fans pointed out was that the character’s red hair was made of locs.

Halle, who makes up one-half of the Grammy-nominated group Chloe x Halle, is known for sporting locs and has had them since prior to fame. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Halle shared that it was the director Rob Marshall’s idea to integrate some of her characteristics, such as her locs, into the character.

​"With Rob, he's so amazing and just saying, 'I see you and I want to bring you into the character,'" she said. "So it was a beautiful thing. My hair, for example — incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me. The outfit, the fins, everything. It's just amazing. I'm just grateful that I've been able to take the essence of me and mix the two."

Rob first teased the news that Halle’s hair will still be in locs as Ariel in an August 2022 Varietyinterview. “She looks stunning in red hair; not everybody does,” he said.

And many fans of the “Forgive Me” singer can agree. When the trailer dropped, there was an influx of reactions. While she has unfortunately received backlash for being cast as Ariel due to the color of her skin, there was also a lot of praise and support sent her way.

Tina Knowles Lawson shared an Instagram post with Halle and wrote a loving caption to the singer.

“I remember talking about her role as Ariel to the beautiful And Super talented @hallebailey on my show " Talks with Mama Tina,”" Tina wrote. “She and her beautiful sister @chloebailey .She spoke about the pressure of filling the shoes of past Little Mermaids Roles. Well we could not be more excited or proud of you as Ariel. You are changing our little black girls perspective on them being not limited to certain spaces and to be seen!!!! Kudos beautifulHalle.❤️❤️❤️

Legendary actress Halle Berry tweeted that she couldn’t wait to watch it.

And Chlöe showered her little sister with love in a series of tweets.

“MY BABYYYYY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” followed by 11 mermaid emojis.

In the next tweet, she shared that she was “gonna cry” and lastly wrote “that’s my mfn sister. YUP.”

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Source: atlantablackstar.com/2022/09/28/that-was-really-special-to-mehalle-bailey-talks-incorporating-locs-into-the-little-mermaid-film/

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS VIDEO
‘That Was Really Special to Me’:Halle Bailey Talks Incorporating Locs Into ‘The Little Mermaid’ Film
Posted by Kiara Washington | September 28, 2022

Disney’s upcoming live-action princess film “The Little Mermaid,” which stars angelic vocalist Halle Bailey as Ariel, has fans eagerly anticipating the beloved film’s release in May 2023. To give fans some insight on her behind-the-scenes experience, the skilled singer sat down with “Entertainment Weekly” for the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, and discussed how incorporating her locs into the film made her feel.

“Incorporating my locs into the red hair was something that was really special to me.”


Halle Bailey opens up about the inspiring words her grandparents told her after receiving backlash for being casted as the lead role in “The Little Mermaid.” Photo:@hallebailey/Instagram

The member of popular girl group Chloe x Halle humbly shared how the fantasy film’s director, Rob Marshall, created a beautiful experience for her by hearing and seeing who Bailey is and who she will be representing as she portrays Ariel.

“With Rob he’s so amazing and just saying, ‘I see you’ and ‘I want to bring you into the character’ so, it was a beautiful thing.” Bailey said.

The artist turned actress gave more examples than just her hair that contributed to her feeling seen by the movie’s director.

She continued, “You know the outfit, the fins, everything. It’s just amazing. So, I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to take the essence of me and kind of mix the two.”

Bailey spent a lot of time in the water and she also spent time in the air as she swam on blue screen: a monochromatic background used by actors that visually places an image during post-production. During her interview, the 22-year-old noted that in order to really embody swimming like a mermaid, it’s “all about the hip movement,” she said before giggling.

“Like where you place your hands it was such a kind of graceful swim that she ended up having, but yeah it was really meticulous you kind of had to make it look natural but still flowy and pretty.”

The official trailer for “The Little Mermaid” dropped Sept. 9 and received over 22 million views, making it one of the most viewed Disney princess trailers.

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Italian article about HallAriel locks: www.amica.it/2022/09/14/halle-bailey-la-sirenetta-lunghi-locks-rossi/

Halle Bailey è la Sirenetta, principessa con i locks per raccontare una bellezza più inclusiva
Per la prima volta in un live action e nella storia dei cartoni animati Disney, una principessa sfoggerà locks autentici, un protective hairstyle che sarà la gioia e l'ispirazione di tutte le bambine con capelli afro del mondo. E che non farà rimpiangere a nessuno l'invidiatissima chioma rossa di Ariel


Halle Bailey (quasi) come Ariel: capelli rossi e texture naturale

La bellezza conta

Specialmente se si è bambini e se la bellezza in questione è quella di Halle Bailey nei panni di Ariel, alias La Sirenetta. Classe 1998, la protagonista dell’ultimo live action Disney in uscita a maggio 2023 si è già rivelata una delle professioniste più richieste del settore. Con la sorella Chloe, infatti, forma dal 2015 Chloe x Halle, un duo che ha conquistato anche Beyoné, che le ha volute nel tour The Formation. Entrambe, inoltre, fanno parte del cast della serie tv Grow-ish.

Un talento che, però, a una parte della comunità online non è bastato. Uscito da pochissimi giorni, infatti, il video teaser della protagonista che canta un breve frammento di Part of Your World ha letteralmente scatenato il web. E, ovviamente, diviso gli animi tra chi reputa che l’aspetto della Sirenetta dovrebbe rispettare le origini danesi della storia di Hans Christian Andersen e chi, invece, osserva divertito e commosso le reazioni dei bambini afroamericani davanti a una principessa Disney che, finalmente, li rappresenta davvero.


Halle-Bailey-La-Sirenetta-live-action-Disney
Ipa

Perché, gli studi lo hanno ampiamente dimostrato, vedere qualcuno di davvero simile a noi nei film, nelle pubblicità e nella politica ha davvero un impatto, specialmente sui bambini. Modelli positivi, che vanno al di là degli stereotipi e permettono di percepire davvero la magia dei film Disney. E, così, polemiche a parte, la verità che resta è incontrovertibile: Halle Bailey sarà – finalmente – la prima principessa Disney con un protective hairstyle.

Halle Bailey: La Sirenetta avrà lunghi locks rossi

Il teaser trailer di The Little Mermaid ha fatto trasparire molto più delle tristi polemiche legate all’etnia della sua protagonista. La trasformazione in fondo al mar di Halle Bailey, infatti, ha rivelato un particolare beauty da non trascurare: l’iconica chioma rossa di Ariel, infatti, sarà intrecciata in morbidi locks.

Signature look dell’attrice, si tratta di un protective hairstyle, ovvero un’acconciatura protettiva, pensata per proteggere i capelli afro e mantenerli sani. Una vera novità nel mondo Disney: persino Tiana, prima principessa nera in assoluto, non sfoggia alcuna acconciatura protettiva ne La Principessa e il ranocchio. Proprio per questo, aver scelto di enfatizzare la bellezza di una donna afroamericana in tutta la sua naturalezza rappresenta un punto di svolta ancora più importante.

Ecco allora che la nuova Ariel sfoggerà una lunghissima chioma di locks rossi. L’effetto è naturalissimo: i locks, infatti, sono costituiti da ciocche di capelli quasi annodate, che conferiscono una texture unica alla chioma. Di origini antichissime (pare che questa acconciatura risalga al 2500 a.C.), questo stile è davvero perfetto per la vita subacquea della Sirenetta.

Un dettaglio che rende molto fiera la stessa Halle Bailey. In un’intervista a Variety, infatti, l’attrice ha dichiarato: «Voglio che la bambina che c’è in me e tutte le bambine che mi guardano sappiano che sono speciali e che dovrebbero sentirsi delle principesse ogni giorno. Non c’è nessun motivo per cui non dovrebbero esserlo».

Scoprite nella gallery le splendide acconciature sfoggiate da Halle Bailey e dalla stessa Ariel: quali vedremo riprodotte nel live action della Disney?


Gallery here: www.amica.it/gallery/halle-bailey-ariel-capelli-rossi-texture-naturale/

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Halle Bailey with her father and her brother in Sardinia:

http://instagram.com/p/Ckv4sx9Kj9c

http://instagram.com/p/Ckv_lcgu0VN

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http://instagram.com/p/CnRkbOYPj9S

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Source: variety.com/2023/artisans/news/halle-bailey-hair-extensions-locs-the-little-mermaid-camille-friend-1235625912/

Halle Bailey’s Hair Extensions and Locs for ‘The Little Mermaid’ Cost Over $150,000

By Jazz Tangcay


Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney's live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo by Giles Keyte. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Giles Keyte

If anyone knows how to get the right shade of red for Black hair, it’s Camille Friend. The Oscar-nominated hair department head, whose credits include “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” experimented with adding color into Lupita Nyong’o’s hair, and now she’s doing it again. This time, it was for Halle Bailey in Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid.” But doing so didn’t come cheap.

Her challenge was taking Disney’s most famous redhead, Princess Ariel, and creating a look for Bailey that would work. On top of that, maintaining Bailey’s natural hair was an important requirement she needed to meet.

Bailey, who sports long locs, wanted to stay true to her Black heritage. And maintaining them without a wig would herald an important moment for representation and Bailey’s identity, as the movie presents Disney’s first Black Ariel (and first Black princess in a live-action movie.)

Speaking with Variety, Friend says she began with Bailey’s roots. “I went to meet with Halle’s family. Her mother is spiritual and they’re a kind family.” She adds, “I started to understand who she was and why the natural hair element was important to keep.”

Both Disney and director Rob Marshall had no qualms.

Once Friend had approval and an understanding of this, she began her creation process. “I look at the facial shape, skin tone and eye color. And what color her costume is going to be.”

Friend was determined not to cut any of Bailey’s natural hair or use a wig. “I knew a wig just wasn’t going to work,” she says.

Friend’s dilemma was creating the iconic red-haired princess look without cutting Bailey’s locs. The wrap process took 12 to 14 hours. She says Bailey was a “trooper,” and Friend got the process down to a reasonable time. She says, “Halle’s locs are down to her waist, over 24 inches. And putting her in a wig was going to look crazy.”

She returned to playing with the red. “If we take hair and wrap it around her locs, we don’t have to cut them and we don’t have to color them. We can change her color without changing her internal hair structure. Her structure and her hair are her,” says Friend about her thought process.

The 30-inch long hair was custom-colored and fused in with Keratin tips. “It’s three shades of red,” says Friend, who found the hair at Extensions Plus in Chatsworth. “I’m not guesstimating, but we probably spent at least $150,000 because we had to redo it and take it out. You couldn’t use it and we’d have to start again. It was a process.”

Once she had figured that out, she had to deal with the water element. “Locs don’t float,” says Friend. And the hair needed to “dance” when Ariel was underwater. Her solution? Adding loose pieces of hair.


Halle Bailey as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”

When Ariel loses her voice and transitions to a human being, Friend switched her hair slightly, wanting to show Ariel’s vulnerability. “She doesn’t know what it’s like to be human.”

The pieces of hair were straighter with a slight beachy wave. Friend says she used an oval-shaped GHD iron. “I still wanted it to feel like an ocean wave.”

As for that hair flip that Ariel does when she emerges from the water, Friend was not on set for that – COVID and scheduling conflicts prevented her from completing the film. “Tiffany Williams jumped in there and took the movie the rest of the way…This is what I know, Halle did the hair flip, and it was helped with CGI.”

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Source: variety.com/2023/artisans/news/halle-bailey-hair-extensions-locs-the-little-mermaid-camille-friend-1235625912/

‘The Little Mermaid’: How Halle Bailey’s Locs and Extensions Were Created For Live-Action Film

By Jazz Tangcay

If anyone knows how to get the right shade of red for Black hair, it’s Camille Friend. The Oscar-nominated hair department head, whose credits include “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” experimented with adding color into Lupita Nyong’o’s hair, and now she’s doing it again. This time, it was for Halle Bailey in Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid.” But doing so didn’t come cheap.

Her challenge was taking Disney’s most famous redhead, Princess Ariel, and creating a look for Bailey that would work. On top of that, maintaining Bailey’s natural hair was an important requirement she needed to meet.

Bailey, who sports long locs, wanted to stay true to her Black heritage. And maintaining them without a wig would herald an important moment for representation and Bailey’s identity, as the movie presents Disney’s first Black Ariel (and first Black princess in a live-action movie.)

Speaking with Variety, Friend says she began with Bailey’s roots. “I went to meet with Halle’s family. Her mother is spiritual and they’re a kind family.” She adds, “I started to understand who she was and why the natural hair element was important to keep.”

Both Disney and director Rob Marshall had no qualms.

Once Friend had approval and an understanding of this, she began her creation process. “I look at the facial shape, skin tone and eye color. And what color her costume is going to be.”

Friend was determined not to cut any of Bailey’s natural hair or use a wig. “I knew a wig just wasn’t going to work,” she says.

Friend’s dilemma was creating the iconic red-haired princess look without cutting Bailey’s locs. The wrap process took 12 to 14 hours. She says Bailey was a “trooper,” and Friend got the process down to a reasonable time. She says, “Halle’s locs are down to her waist, over 24 inches. And putting her in a wig was going to look crazy.”

She returned to playing with the red. “If we take hair and wrap it around her locs, we don’t have to cut them and we don’t have to color them. We can change her color without changing her internal hair structure. Her structure and her hair are her,” says Friend about her thought process.

The 30-inch long hair was custom-colored and fused in with Keratin tips. “It’s three shades of red,” says Friend, who found the hair at Extensions Plus in Chatsworth. “I’m not guesstimating, but we probably spent at least $150,000 because we had to redo it and take it out. You couldn’t use it and we’d have to start again. It was a process.”

Once she had figured that out, she had to deal with the water element. “Locs don’t float,” says Friend. And the hair needed to “dance” when Ariel was underwater. Her solution? Adding loose pieces of hair.

When Ariel loses her voice and transitions to a human being, Friend switched her hair slightly, wanting to show Ariel’s vulnerability. “She doesn’t know what it’s like to be human.”

The pieces of hair were straighter with a slight beachy wave. Friend says she used an oval-shaped GHD iron. “I still wanted it to feel like an ocean wave.”

As for that hair flip that Ariel does when she emerges from the water, Friend was not on set for that – COVID and scheduling conflicts prevented her from completing the film. “Tiffany Williams jumped in there and took the movie the rest of the way…This is what I know, Halle did the hair flip, and it was helped with CGI.”

[veu]

Source: www.byrdie.com/halle-bailey-hairstylist-interview-7506790

Halle Bailey's Hairstylist Tinisha Meeks on the Secret to Transforming Her Locs
By Tyler Pharr
Published on 06/02/23


Halle Bailey Hairstyles
Getty Images / Byrdie

Only one word can describe Halle Bailey's hair looks as of late: magical. The singer-turned-actress has been sporting beautifully intricate styles on red carpets and magazine covers, with each look showcasing the endless versatility of locs. For the Los Angeles premiere of The Little Mermaid, Bailey wore lengthy copper locs complete with cascading curls. For the Australia premiere, she opted for a sculptural "loctail". And we'd be remiss not to mention the mesmerizing curly bob Bailey debuted at the Met Gala.

Tinisha Meeks is the architect behind Bailey's ultra-cool hair transformations. The duo began working together while she starred in Freeform's Grown-ish series and clearly have continued to collaborate a ton since then. As someone who started their loc journey nearly two years ago, I was eager to chat with Meeks about how she approaches styling Bailey's locs. Ahead, she shares her tips and tricks and her thoughts on Black hair in Hollywood.

What sparked your interest in hairstyling?

I just liked to do hair. When I was small, Cabbage Patch dolls were popular, and I used to braid people's dolls' hair for money. As a 10-year-old child, I said, "Wow, I'm making about $200 a week." From that point on, I knew I wanted to do hair. I grew up watching shows like Moesha and wanted to imitate the different hairstyles when I went to the beauty shops on Fridays. Once I realized it could be a job, I wanted people to feel the same about the hairstyles I created.

When did you decide to take on styling Black hair in Hollywood? What were the challenges you faced?

It was definitely a journey. I didn't have many Hollywood connections. Back in the early 2010s, social media wasn't the biggest tool for artists like it is now, and Hollywood wasn't hiring a lot of Black hair stylists. Since then, it's gotten a lot better. We have made leaps and bounds to be recognized in the industry. After getting into the hair union, the first show I worked on was Scandal. Working on shows like Black-ish and Grown-ish, we've been able to see all the creativity that's out in the world.


Hairstylist Tinisha Meeks
Tinisha Meeks / Byrdie

You helped Yara Shahidi and Chloe and Halle showcase beautiful natural hair looks while starring on Grown-ish. How did the opportunity come about?

I have to thank Kenya Barris for giving me the platform to do my thing and express myself through hair. I worked alongside the department head, Araxi Lindsey, on Black-ish and did Yara's hair. When Yara moved over to Grown-ish, Barris asked if I could keep doing my thing on Grown-ish as the head hairstylist. I got to create the looks for the characters and put my vibe on them. I got to show people that just because you have curly hair doesn't mean you can't get the look you want.

It's been said that Chloe and Halle were initially unsure of your abilities to style their locs. What solidified their trust in you?

Once I did their hair the first time, they said, "She gets it; she gets me." As I do with everyone, I listened to their needs and wants. I was able to let them express who they were and also be the characters they were portraying. The more we worked together, they trusted me to put my little spins on things. That made the experience and the relationship amazing.

During her press run for The Little Mermaid, Halle has been dominating red carpets and magazine covers with innovative loc styles created by you. Where do you draw inspiration for your looks?

I like to do looks that involve hair manipulation. Just because Halle has locs doesn't mean she can't wear a style. I look at a style I like and do it with her hair. I never see it as a challenge.

What products do you typically use on Halle's hair?

Of course, we use products from my brand, Sparkle Hair Imports. I have a lot of products that help create the looks I do—[like the Diamond Drops and Hair Bomb]. I never forget the basics, though—like an edge tamer, gel, and water.

What's one piece of hair advice you've given Halle since you started working with her?

Healthy locs are the best locs. We always do a good detox, and I urge her to tie [her locs] up at night [in a bonnet] as well.


Halle Bailey Hairstyles
Getty Images / Byrdie

What's been your favorite look you've done on Halle thus far?

Her Met Gala bob, for sure. Halle wore a beautiful Gucci gown that reminded us of Old Hollywood, so we wanted the hair to emulate that.

What's the secret to manipulating Halle's locs to achieve her styles?

First, start with clean, healthy hair, and then begin the normal process of tightening the root. When we decide on a hairstyle, I envision how to do that with locs. Whatever it is, whether it's a ponytail down to the ground, I find a texture of hair that will mix with her locs and feed it in. I don't ever go into my process thinking that just because she has locs, we can't get the look. A piece of advice for anybody with locs: If you like a hairstyle, you can get it with locs.

Black hair is often subject to discrimination and stereotypes, but your looks have shown the beauty and versatility of Black hair. What are your thoughts on the state of Black hair?

It's a privilege for me to do these styles and show the world the beauty of Black hair. It never feels like a burden challenging these stereotypes. I have the honor of doing this every time. So if anything, I challenge myself. I'm happy to do our hair. I feel lucky to do it. No matter whose hair I'm doing, it is a labor of love.

What is your hope for the future of Black hair?

I hope that we get the spotlight. I hope people see how creative we are and know the effort we put into our hair. But, most importantly, I want our people to feel beautiful. Whether in a salon or on the red carpet, I want our people to feel beautiful in the styles created for them.