Disney Removes Halle Bailey from Consideration for Academy Awards
The controversy continues surrounding Halle Bailey and her performance as Ariel in the 2023 Disney live-action remake of the 1989 classic The Little Mermaid. The 23-year-old Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and actress made her acting debut as Ariel, the beloved mermaid who falls in love with a human prince.
Bailey’s casting as Ariel immediately sparked controversy when it was announced in 2019. Initially, criticism centered on the fact that Bailey’s race made her incapable of playing a beloved Disney character, while others came in Bailey’s defense and felt her talent made her an excellent choice for the role and felt it would provide the same opportunity at winning over a crossover audience as fellow singer and actress Brandy’s role as Cinderella in the 1997 Disney/ABC adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
In recent news, Bailey has been taken out of consideration for Best Original Song for the 2024 Academy Awards by Disney. According to a 2023 article for The International News, reports say “Disney has decided to remove its “For Your Consideration” campaign for Best Original Song, and the official website no longer lists the category…This move carries significant implications, as per Academy Awards rules, if a studio chooses not to submit an entry to a specific category, it becomes ineligible for consideration in that category.”
This move comes after speculation of Bailey being reportedly pregnant with her first child with rapper and boyfriend DDG. According to the U.S Sun, “baby rumors first began swirling in August when Halle was initially spotted wearing baggy clothes to potentially cover her stomach. A few weeks after initial speculation, her outfit choice at the MTV Video Music Awards had many believing she was trying to hide her body once more.”
Despite the speculations, Bailey has neither confirmed or denied these rumors. And while she has been taken out of consideration for “Best Original Song”, she has been submitted for consideration for Best Actress. It is important to note here that the Academy Awards has a contentious history with rewarding actors and actresses of color in the lead categories.
The only Black actress to win for Best Actress was Halle Berry for her role in the 2001 drama Monster’s Ball. Berry’s role and win 21 years ago was not without controversy of its own. Other Black actresses that have been nominated include: Dorothy Dandridge, Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, Gabourey Sadibe, and Quvenzhane Wallis.
Furthermore, it begs the question why Bailey was taken from consideration and if speculations about her pregnancy were the cause of the withdrawal. However, with the ongoing vitriol and misogynoir aimed at Bailey since her casting, and the documented devaluing of Black actors and Black actresses in Hollywood, one cannot help but speculate.
