Freeform supports Halle Bailey’s Ariel casting amid backlash

LOS ANGELES – A Disney-owned cable network has taken aim at critics who disagreed with the decision to cast Halle Bailey as Ariel in the upcoming adaption of “The Little Mermaid.”

FILE – This Nov. 13, 2017 file photo shows singer-actress Halle Bailey at the 2017 Glamour Women of the Year Awards in New York. Bailey, half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle, will next be going under the sea, starring as Ariel in the upcoming adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” The live-action version will include original songs from the 1989 animated hit as well as new tunes from original composer Alan Menken and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Freeform posted an open letter on Sunday in support of Bailey after some on social media used the hashtag #NotMyAriel to object to a black woman portraying the red-headed mermaid princess of the animated film.

But the network says “Danish mermaids can be black because Danish (asterisk)people(asterisk) can be black.”

Bailey is half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle.

She will star in the live-action version that will include songs from the 1989 animated Disney hit as well as new tunes from original composer Alan Menken and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Bailey will join Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina in the film. /gsg