One source of controversy related to Disney's new remake of The Little Mermaid concerns its updated song lyrics. The live-action remake features most of the songs from the original animated version, but a select few have been slightly updated with new lyrics. "Kiss the Girl" is one of them, as some of the lyrics in the original could be interpreted as Sebastian encouraging Eric to kiss Ariel without consent. Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls" was another song that's been updated as the filmmakers didn't want young girls to "feel like they shouldn't speak out of turn," as songwriter Alan Menken previously explained.
There have been some rather fiery responses on social media to these changes, but the original Ariel is 100% on board. In fact, she says that it was something that needed to happen, as times have changed since the original songs for The Little Mermaid were written. Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the 1989 animated movie, recently told Entertainment Weekly why it was so important for these kinds of changes to be made to the song lyrics.
As Benson explained:
"We're talking about starting our [voiceover] sessions in '86 [for the original film]. It's 2023, so we have to grow, we have to learn, we have to be aware of our surroundings. We've got to be aware of our growth as humans and what's important now and what maybe isn't as important. Things change. We've got to roll with that. I think that Rob [Marshall] and John [DeLuca] have done a beautiful job of doing that, and still paying tribute and honor to our original film. But you've got to have growth. It's very important to stay relevant with where we are, what's going on around us. We need to be aware. So the adjustments and the fine-tuning that they needed to do, it was a must, but it was done in a beautiful way, and I'm very, very thrilled with it."
The New Ariel Has a Fan in Jodi Benson
Benson also offered some further praise to the new Ariel, Halle Bailey. She reflected on how great it's been to offer Bailey support throughout the casting process up to the release of the film, confident from the start that the young singer and actress was in "great hands" with the filmmakers. Benson goes on to credit Bailey for capturing the essence of Ariel with this new take on The Little Mermaid.
"It's been great for me to be able to just love on her and support her and her family. And to know that she was in great hands with all of the staff, and especially with Rob and John. And to know just the beautiful way that she has been able to capture Ariel and all that is part of Ariel. And just how incredibly proud I am of her, just wanting her to know that I was there for her in whatever way I could be. She did it. She has told this beautiful story, and I'm just so thrilled for her."
The Little Mermaid will be released in theaters on May 26, 2023.