This artwork needs to be part of your world.
Halle Bailey, a 19-year-old singer who is half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, has been picked to star as Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” Variety reported Wednesday.
Bailey tweeted about the news alongside a picture of a darker-skinned Ariel — an image originally created by Dylan Bonner, who turned his girlfriend, Manini Gupta, into various Disney princesses as a surprise for Valentine’s Day gift in 2015. Bailey called the role a “dream come true.”
Possibly inspired by Bailey’s post, excited fans began creating their own renditions of the new Ariel and sharing them.
Nilah Magruder, a storyboard artist and writer for animation based in Los Angeles, posted her “Little Mermaid” fan art online.
“As black creators, we know how isolating this industry can be,” Magruder told BuzzFeed. “To see a black Ariel now is particularly inspiring.”
“I was kind of like, ‘Whoa, Disney really went and did that!’” she added.
Other Twitter users shared similar sentiments with their own versions of the updated Disney princess.
“Seeing a black mermaid with locks is something I never would’ve imagined seeing 10 years ago,” one Twitter user wrote. “Now many little black girls around the world will be able to look at their screens and say “That’s me! I can be a mermaid too!!”
To check out some of the lovely fan art, scroll down.
This post has been updated to offer more information about the image Bailey tweeted in response to her casting as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”