Halle Bailey Stuns At “The Little Mermaid” Australian Premiere

The Australian premiere of “The Little Mermaid,” Disney’s live-action remake of the studio’s Oscar®-winning animated musical classic, took place earlier this evening in Sydney, with stars Ariel (Halle Bailey) and Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) joining director/producer Rob Marshall on the festive blue carpet outside the State Theatre to toast the film’s upcoming release.

THE LITTLE MERMAID – SYDNEY PREMIERE AT THE STATE THEATRE | Photo Courtesy of www.scottehler.com

THE LITTLE MERMAID – SYDNEY PREMIERE AT THE STATE THEATRE | Photo Courtesy of www.scottehler.com

The beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, is told in “The Little Mermaid.” Ariel, the youngest and most defiant of King Triton’s daughters, longs to learn more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While it is forbidden for mermaids to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She strikes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, which allows her to experience life on land but ultimately jeopardizes her life – and her father’s crown.

The film stars Halle Bailey (“Grown-ish”) as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King (“A Dog’s Way Home”) as Eric, Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton”) as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) as the voice of Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay (“Room”) as the voice of Flounder, Noma Dumezweni (“Mary Poppins Return “The Little Mermaid” is directed by Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (“Chicago,” “Mary Poppins Returns”), and the screenplay is written by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (“Life of Pi,” “Finding Neverland”).

THE LITTLE MERMAID – SYDNEY PREMIERE AT THE STATE THEATRE | Photo Courtesy of www.scottehler.com

The songs include music by Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin”) and lyrics by Howard Ashman, as well as new lyrics by three-time Tony Award® winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “In the Heights”). The film is produced by two-time Emmy® winner Marc Platt (“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” “Grease Live!”), Miranda, two-time Emmy® winner John DeLuca (“Tony Bennett: An American Classic”), and Rob Marshall, with executive producer Jeffrey Silver (“The Lion King”).

“The Little Mermaid” hits theaters on May 26, 2023.