Halle Bailey says the live-action 'Little Mermaid' will show more of Ariel's 'passions and what she wants for herself' alongside her love story

• Halle Bailey spoke to Insider about starring as Ariel in the upcoming film "The Little Mermaid."
• Bailey said this version of the story will expand upon elements and themes from the source material.

Halle Bailey said that Disney's upcoming live-action reimagining of "The Little Mermaid" will show Ariel as a complex and layered character.

"For this version of the film, we have really been expounding upon what's already been there and it's been a joy," Bailey, who's promoting her partnership with Zyrtec, told Insider on Thursday.

Rob Marshall's spin on the classic tale hits theaters on May 26, starring Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.

Similar to the 1989 animated film, Bailey's version of Ariel will fall in love with Prince Eric, but there's so much more to the Disney princess' journey this time around. In reexamining the beloved story about a mermaid longing to become a human, changes will be made to modernize "The Little Mermaid."

"You'll see more of her going after her passions and what she wants for herself and her life as well as her love story, too," Bailey said. "You get just a deeper dive into her brain, really."

Alan Menken, who composed music for the 1989 animated movie as well as the 2023 remake, recently told Vanity Fair that lyrics to some of the classic songs will be updated to emphasize consent and empower girls.

Bailey told Insider that even with these changes, the new movie still preserves the music of its predecessor.

"One thing I love about this film is how there was such beauty in the original and the songs are still there," she said.

Bailey said that getting the opportunity to play the character has been "the most exhilarating, surreal experience of my life," and it was made more special by the collaborative process on set.

For example, this version of Ariel incorporates Bailey's real-life locs.

"It's been a joy to be able to work with Rob Marshall, the director, whose vision was very much wanting me to be myself wholeheartedly, completely, even down to the way Ariel looks and her hair," Bailey said.

Portraying Ariel is just one of many standout experiences in the 23-year-old star's career so far.

In the past couple of years, Bailey has simultaneously made waves as an actor and a musician, through her role as Sky Forster on Freeform's "Black-ish" spin-off "Grown-ish" and as part of the Grammy-nominated duo Chloe x Halle, with her older sister Chloe Bailey.

"I feel like I learned a lot about myself," Bailey said of working on "The Little Mermaid."

"It was a transformative time for me and really helped me gain a lot of courage and confidence in my independence and my abilities creatively, on my own," she added.

2023 is sure to be a busy year for the rising star.

In addition to the release of "The Little Mermaid" this spring, Bailey will star as the young version of Nettie Harris in the film adaptation of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple." The movie is scheduled for release on December 25, costarring Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, and Taraji P. Henson.

Bailey has also been working on new music. And with allergy season in full swing, her partnership with Zyrtec has been more useful than ever.

The singer has been spreading the word about Zyrtec and their nationwide Beat the Mondays mobile tour, which recently kicked off in Los Angeles, California.

"I was so excited to be partnering with Zyrtec, just because of my history with allergies," she said. "I'm a singer and musician first, and my voice and my sinuses play so such a big part in my just work life. I have to be on at all times. So it's really, really a beautiful thing when I get to partner with someone like Zyrtec, who's helped me all my life, really."