The release of the teaser trailer for The Little Mermaid, a live-action remake of the classic Disney animated film, has been the source of some recent controversy. There are many who are happy to see Halle Bailey as the new Ariel in the trailer, generating a lot of excitement for the upcoming remake. Meanwhile, others have condemned the film for its casting of Bailey with the argument that the fictional mermaid's skin color should not be changed.
In any case, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah made it clear where he stands by delving into the controversy. On the Comedy Central show, Noah brought up the complaints about Bailey's casting, showcasing some news footage which included quotes of people upset with the new Ariel looking "nothing like" the animated version. Noah mocks those criticizing the casting, pointing out how the only real difference is Bailey's skin color while the red hair and mermaid tail are still present.
"Really, people? We're doing this again, huh? 'She looks nothing like the original!' Nothing like her? They both have the tail, they both have the red (hair). 'She looks nothing like her, how do I even know that she's a mermaid?'"
Noah then goes on to inject some humor into his rant by joking that the titular clownfish from Finding Nemo was also Black.
"Once again, a bunch of internet racists are upset that a fictional character is being played by a Black person. And, honestly, I don't know what the big deal is. You guys realize that Nemo was Black too, right? Yeah! That whole movie was about a fish who can't find his dad. Calm down, I can say that because my dad left, and he's white, so, who's racist now?"
Trevor Noah Hopes the Controversy Doesn't Overshadow the Film
Noah then gets serious again and tells everyone with complaints about Bailey's Ariel casting to "stop being ridiculous." Hoping that the casting doesn't ultimately overshadow the film itself, Noah reiterates that the character is fictional and that it's not even relevant to what The Little Mermaid is really about.
“Look, stop being ridiculous. It’s imaginary. I hope this scandal doesn’t overshadow the rest of the movie. The Little Mermaid is a beautiful story about a young woman changing her core identity to please a man. Let’s not forget about that, people.”
Rob Marshall directs The Little Mermaid which is written by David Magee and Jane Goldman with a story by Magee, Marshall, and John DeLuca. Along with Bailey in the lead role, the film also stars Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Noma Demezweni as Queen Selina, Art Malik as Grimsby, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle.
The Little Mermaid will be released in movie theaters on May 26, 2023. You can see the recent teaser trailer below for your sneak peek at Bailey as the new Ariel.