Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy reveal new 'Little Mermaid' trailer during Oscars

LOS ANGELES -- The stars of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" took the stage at the 95th Oscars ceremony to share a new look at the upcoming live-action film.

"For 100 years, The Walt Disney Company has produced some of the best heroes, villains and stories of all time, and this amazing legacy would not be complete without 'The Little Mermaid,'" Melissa McCarthy, who stars as Ursula, said.

"It has been such an honor stepping into the iconic role of Ariel," her co-star Halle Bailey added. "It's been an extraordinary experience, a dream come true for me."



The first official teaser trailer for the remake, showcased at the 2022 D23 Expo, premiered Bailey as Ariel, showing her swimming underwater as she sings some of the lyrics to the iconic song, "Part of Your World."
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Bailey is making history as the first Black actress to play Ariel. The singer, one-half of the singing group Chloe X Halle, was cast in the role in July 2019. While the announcement of her casting is groundbreaking and was met with supportive feedback, it also brought in some backlash.



"As a Black person, you just expect it and it's not really a shock anymore," she said in an interview with The Face.

Yet the 22-year-old actress has expressed a stronger emotional response to the positive feedback.
"I was crying all night for two days, just staring at them in disbelief," she said, referring to the videos of young Black girls reacting to the first teaser trailer of the upcoming film. "It just makes me feel more grateful for where I am."

"The Little Mermaid" is directed by Rob Marshall and the screenplay is written by Jane Goldman and David Magee.
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Also starring alongside Bailey is Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian and Awkwafina as Scuttle.

"The Little Mermaid" premieres in theaters on May 26, 2023.



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ABC News contributed to this report.