'The Little Mermaid' star Halle Bailey says she bonded with Lily James and Naomi Scott about their experiences playing live-action Disney princesses

• Halle Bailey, who's promoting her partnership with Zyrtec, spoke to Insider about "The Little Mermaid."
• Bailey said she bonded with Lily James and Naomi Scott, both of whom also played Disney princesses.

Ahead of her debut as Ariel in Rob Marshall's upcoming reimagining of "The Little Mermaid," Halle Bailey said that she bonded with fellow live-action Disney princess actors Lily James and Naomi Scott.

"I presented with them and they were just lovely human beings," Bailey, who's promoting her partnership with Zyrtec, told Insider on Thursday. "I love both of them."

Bailey previously met James, who played the titular character of the 2015 film "Cinderella," and Scott, who starred as Jasmine in the 2019 movie "Aladdin," at the 2022 Oscars.

While onstage to present the award for best animated feature film, which went to the movie "Encanto," the stars spoke about their shared experiences.

"The three of us have all had the privilege of bringing a beloved animated character to the live screen," James said.

"Soon, Halle will join the club as Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid,'" said Scott, adding, "Welcome babe."

"All these characters hold such a special place in our hearts because animated films make up some of our most formative movie experiences as kids," Bailey said.

Bailey told Insider that it was "really nice" to be able to connect with James and Scott about the parallels in their careers.

"It's just cool when you get to meet other women who have just gotten to take on a film that we've all known and loved for so long and hear their perspective," she said.

Stepping into the shoes — or in Bailey's case, mermaid tail — of a beloved character is no easy feat, but the "Little Mermaid" star found it comforting that James and Scott experienced similar feelings as her.

"We were just talking about the nerves of it all and how that's all exciting, but just how to stay centered and not let people's opinions affect you or sway you," Bailey said.

Taking on a character who's so well-known also comes with a plethora of mixed reactions from fans, and Bailey recently told Entertainment Weekly that she wanted to "block out the noise" to preserve her mental health throughout the journey.

"It's so important to protect your mental health in general with anything in life, just because people have a lot of opinions naturally," she explained.

Bailey also said that she's been learning on her inner circle, comprised of family and loved ones, for support throughout this whirlwind journey.

"I grew up in a really big family and my siblings are like my day ones, so my sister Chloe, for example, is definitely my heartbeat and helps me through," she said.

Bailey said that she's loved and felt connected to Ariel since she was a young girl, and is looking forward to audiences seeing her version of the iconic Disney character when the film hits theaters on Friday, May 26.

"The fact that I was really able to take on this new role and make her mine in a way has been the most exhilarating, surreal experience of my life," she said. "I hope when people watch the film they are happy with the new version and enjoy it and get the same nostalgic feeling they did with the original."