After the world premiere of Little Mermaid On May 8, Bailey’s dress took an even more literal approach to the mermaid gown, wearing a sculptural metallic blue dress by Valdrin Sahiti. And before that, the Ariel actor also evoked classic Disney princess style in an aqua blue Dolce & Gabanna gown at the 2023 Oscars.

As hard as it is to believe, Bailey said she wasn’t always confident in her ability to truly embody the spirit of the iconic mermaid character. In an interview with Collider, she said she felt extra pressure when filming the “Part of Your World” series. “I felt this duty to make it my own, but also to live up to the original that Jodi Benson did so beautifully,” she explained. “I was so delighted that at the end of those three days I feel like I really captured the essence of Ariel.”

At this point, I don’t think anyone can capture the essence of Ariel more perfectly than Halle Bailey.