Live action 'The Little Mermaid' star Halle Bailey reveals she spent up to 13 HOURS in water a day while filming

Halle Bailey, the star of the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid movie, has shown remarkable endurance in her role.  

According to a recent interview with Edition magazine, the 22-year-old actress had to spend 13 hours in the water filming on some days. However, she said that playing Ariel has pushed her to new limits and taught her to believe in herself. 

Halle explained that the new film is much more than just a love story between a mermaid and a human. "It's about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life, and what she wants," she told Edition. 

Halle, who has always been a fan of Ariel, auditioned for the role at 18 and landed the part at 19. She said that playing the iconic Disney princess has helped her grow up and learn valuable life lessons. 

Photo / Disney

The actress also revealed that the new movie is free of much of the sexism that was present in the original. "I'm glad that Disney is updating some of those themes," she said. Despite facing racist comments from some fans, Halle is focusing on the positive impact she can have as a role model for young black girls. 

"It's honestly been such a crazy ride, and I genuinely feel shocked and honoured and grateful to be in this position," Halle said. "A lot of times, I have to pinch myself and be like, is this real life?" 

The interview comes after the first full-length trailer for the movie was unveiled last week, giving viewers a sneak peek at the film and its talented cast.  

Alongside Halle Bailey, the movie stars Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian. 

With this star-studded cast, fans are eagerly anticipating the release of The Little Mermaid, which promises to be a new and exciting take on the classic tale.