Yara Shahidi Discusses Her and Halle Bailey's Contributions To Disney's Live-Action Fairytale Revamps

"What’s been beautiful is seeing the response to both of our characters and seeing how many people feel included in this fairy tale."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• July 16, 2023

Disney's animated classics hold a special place in the hearts of millions worldwide, and in recent years, these beloved tales are experiencing a revival in the form of live-action adaptations. Disney is ambitiously endeavoring to modernize these tales, aiming to reflect contemporary values and societal diversity, which has sparked some contentious debates.

The headline-grabbing instance was when Disney announced they were reimagining the iconic tale of The Little Mermaid, with Halle Bailey portraying Princess Ariel. This was soon followed by news of the live-action adaptation of Peter Pan & Wendy, featuring Yara Shahidi in the lead role.

Despite these talented actresses seeming fitting for their roles based on their acting prowess, there was a significant backlash, with racially prejudiced fans voicing strong objections to the castings. In an interview with The Hollywood R eporter, Shahidi expressed her excitement to see Bailey bring Ariel to life.

She stated, "If there’s anybody that is a princess just in real life, in the world, it’s Halle," and added that the casting "made so much sense." Shahidi also highlighted the positive responses to their portrayals, emphasizing the sense of inclusion it brought to many.

She noted the misconception some have that diversity threatens the quality of the story and instead championed the beauty of intertwining diversity and inclusivity with classic tales, creating a more profound impact and drawing more people into the narratives we cherish.

Shahidi expressed her excitement to see Bailey bring Ariel to life.

"If there’s anybody that is a princess just in real life, in the world, it’s Halle," Shahidi said

Both actresses, who co-starred on Grown-ish, break new ground in playing Disney icons, who have historically been white, and the two friends have been able to share in bringing diversity to the classic stories.

Shahidi said “I think oftentimes people think of diversity and inclusion as threatening or jeopardizing the quality of the story instead of seeing how beautifully they can be interwoven together to create something that impacts even more people, that lets even more people into stories that we love.”

In the Peter Pan & Wendy adaptation, Shahidi shares the screen with Jude Law, Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Alan Tudyk, and Jim Gaffigan.

The movie was brought to life by director David Lowery, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Toby Halbrooks, and Jim Whitaker served as the producer for this Walt Disney Pictures venture. The story takes us on a thrilling journey with Peter Pan, Wendy, Wendy's brothers, and Peter's closest companion, Tinker Bell, as they venture into the mystical world of Neverland.

Along this exciting expedition, Wendy finds herself embarking on a life-changing adventure, crossing paths with Peter's nemesis, Captain Hook. The wheels for a live-action adaptation of Peter Pan were set in motion on April 13, 2016, with Lowery helming the project as director.

Although the initial plans were to kickstart the production in April 2020 and conclude by August of that year, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into the schedule. Undeterred, filming eventually began in March 2021 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Additional filming took place in August 2021 on the picturesque Bonavista Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the Faroe Islands.

Damjan