So...the whole #notmyariel thing... Don't hate me (actually I'm good if you do) but I'm going to give them this one. And by 'them' I mean the whiners and complainers who boycott Starbucks cups and set Keurgs on fire, otherwise known as some of the stupidest, most aggravating, twits on the planet. But this time they actually have a point. The Ariel of my beloved movie, my original favorite Disney princess (before I became hopeless, completely, obsessively devoted to Elsa (because she's my spirit animal) ), is white with iconic red hair so is it asking so much that the remake at least pretend to resemble the original?
Let's get one thing straight right here and now: THIS IS NOT A RACE THING! It is an accuracy thing.
When Aladdin came out my mom thought they made Jasmine too white. Because, you know, she's Middle Eastern but didn't necessarily look it. The remake corrected this. Beauty and the Beast? Emma Watson READ A LOT and danced with the Beast IN A BRIGHT YELLOW DRESS. She wasn't re-imagined as an artist in a smock or played by a chic with black hair. When you think of the Little Mermaid what's the first thing that comes to mind? Crayola red hair. As gorgeous as she is, Halle Bailey does not have that signature feature. (Though I hear she has the voice and that's the reason she was chosen).
Think of it this way; if they decide to make a live action Princess and the Frog and cast Tiana as a blond haired, blue eyed socialite, how well do you think it would go over?
Is it a good thing for young girls of all backgrounds to be able to see themselves reflected in popular characters? Of course! So let's create those characters instead of re-branding old ones.
