Rob Marshall, the director of the acclaimed movie Little Mermaid, spoke up about the shocking racist backlash that he faced for casting Halle Bailey as Ariel.
In an interview with Deadline, Marshall expressed his surprise at the controversy that rose due to a woman of color being cast as Ariel. He said, “I didn’t think that it was a big deal, casting a woman of color. I thought, ‘that’s an archaic way to see the world.'”
Marshall was shocked by the narrow-mindedness of people who had an issue with the casting, stating, “Wow, that really feels like it’s coming from another century. Are we really still there?”
The director celebrated the representation of people of color, highlighting the bonus that came with Bailey’s casting, allowing young boys and girls of color to feel seen and represented. “We’re still developing and growing in that area,” he said.
Marshall reflected on how Ariel’s story is relatable in modern times, “the whole time making the film, it felt like an antidote to this divided place we’re in, an important reminder that we’re really all one.”
