As Disney rolls out its live-action reboots of many animated favorites, fans are chiming in with many different opinions. None of the live-action remakes to date has drawn as much controversy as last month’s announcement of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey, Grown-ish actress and one half of Chloe x Halle, was cast as Ariel in the film. The exciting announcement was met with disdain shown for Halle by people who believe that Ariel should have been portrayed by a white actress.
Unlike other casting complaints that have been voiced by the internet, the rally against Halle took on a life of its own. The arguments were largely racially charged. They showed little to no acknowledgment of the 19-year-old’s capabilities as an actress and singer. The vocal minority who were outraged by the casting called for a boycott of the film. They also worked to get #NotMyAriel trending on social media platforms. Halle kept to herself during the controversy but recently spoke out about it while discussing the film with Variety.
Source : https://www.littlethings.com/halle-bailey-racist-backlash-casting-little-mermaid/