The next stop on Disney's nostalgia train, the live-action rendition of the 1989 animated hit The Little Mermaid, is done with filming, with Halle Bailey officiating the news via her Instagram on July 12, 2021. 

Bailey, who has been tapped to play Ariel in the remake of the Disney classic, made the announcement with a lengthy caption and a fitting snap to go along with it. 

"And just like that...that's a wrap," the new Disney princess said at the beginning of her caption adjacent to a snap of herself.

The First Glimpse of Ariel

The snap framed the setting sun just above a watery horizon as it painted the sky and the sea in a majestic shade of gold.

All the while, in the foreground, Bailey stayed in character, her locks free, as her lower half was submerged in the shallow end of the sea. 

Halle Bailey as Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid'

Halle Bailey as Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid' (Source: Instagram)

Bailey recalled the years it took for her to get to this point. The actress celebrated the milestone achievement, the journey that began when she auditioned for the role as an 18-year-old, just about to turn 19. 

On the day the post was made, after she finished filming through a global pandemic, she had already turned 21.

She added that she felt grateful to have had the opportunity to experience the movie in all its glory. 

A Difficult Journey to the End

Even so, the one half of Chloe x Halle admitted that the movie-making process had been one of the toughest experiences she'd been through because she had to leave behind everything and everyone she'd ever known. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Halle (@hallebailey)

The journey was admittedly a rollercoaster ride as the actress confessed that she pushed through self-doubt and loneliness only to come back with a feeling of freedom and perseverance towards the end. She added, 

This experience has made me so much stronger than I ever thought I could be.

Bailey Sang Praises of Her Co-stars

Bailey continued to appreciate her fellow cast members and expressed her gratitude at the fact that she got to work with such lovely and talented colleagues.

She had found a friend for infinite lifetimes in actor Jonah Hauer-King. And she was proud of Jacob Tremblay.

And she was thankful for legends like Awkwafina, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, and Daveed Diggs, who she declared were masters of their craft whilst still being welcoming and open to up-and-coming actresses like herself.

Towards the end, she thanked Sardinia for a wonderful ending after she penned,

I cannot wait for time to speed up so you all can watch this film because it was made with so much love (plus blood sweat and tears)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Halle (@hallebailey)

News of Bailey being cast as Ariel made headlines back in 2019.

At the time, Rob Marshall, the director, said in a public statement that the casting decision was preceded by an extensive search. 

During that process, he claimed it was abundantly clear that Bailey possessed all the qualities that they were looking for, a rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — Plus a glorious singing voice.