Confirmed: ‘The Little Mermaid’ Star Announced as Cast Member for Another Classic Remake

She’s been a part of our world as Ariel, and now Beyoncé’s protege will become “the center of the universe.”

A star-studded remake was recently announced in what appears to be a revival tour of beloved classic movies. A Warner Bros. Pictures production, the prolific story The Color Purple will be told, in part, by one of Disney’s rising stars.

A musical reboot of the 1985 film based on Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple, the heart-wrenching story will feature The Little Mermaid star, Halle Bailey, as young Nettie Harris. On Monday, the trailer for the film was released, sending chills down the spines of everyone who has witnessed the masterful movie, Broadway show, or compelling novel.

Related: “That’s My Sister”: Tearful ‘Little Mermaid’ Star Halle Bailey Responds to Surprise Message

Bailey’s character, Nettie, will brave much more tumultuous waters than her bright-eyed Ariel portrayal. Initially played by Akosua Gyamama Busia (opposite Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg) in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 The Color Purple, Nettie faces unimaginable odds with grace and courage.

The film follows a group of black women in the South as they confront a man named “Mister.” In brutally honest letters to God, Nettie’s (Halle Bailey) sister, Celie Harris (Fantasia Barrino), shares the incomprehensible struggles of their family.

Related: Halle Bailey Creates Magical Moment For Adorable Fan In Disney World

Despite Ariel being a much lighter role, Bailey’s journey as the actress portraying her has called on similar tenacity that The Color Purple’s Nettie conveys on screen. In the 2023 adaptation of the film, Bailey is joined by a star-powered cast, including Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R., Colman Domingo, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Corey Hawkins, and Danielle Brooks.

This isn’t Brooks’s first time delivering the story’s powerful message. She will reprise her Tony-nominated role as Sofia from the 2015 Broadway show. Her Tony-nominated performance ran alongside Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson.

Backing the all-star cast is another returning star of The Color Purple, Oprah Winfrey. Her Oscar-nominated performance was one of 11 nominations for Spielberg’s 1985 film, making it the most nominated film in Oscar history without a single win. The remake is said to include Spielberg as a producer, with Blitz Bazawule directing the film.

With a robust cast and crew, decades of audience appreciation, and Oprah’s remark, “This ain’t your mama’s Color Purple,” it looks like the film set to hit theaters on Christmas Day has the potential to be Bailey’s big Oscar break.