Director Rob Marshall and the original Ariel herself talk about bringing together two generations of little mermaids.
She stumbles upon a woman, who offers her a plate of food.
She’s going to need something to eat that food.
Jodi Benson, who voiced the original Ariel in 1989’s animated ‘The Little Mermaid,’ makes a cameo appearance in Disney’s live-action remake.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Giles Keyte/Disney
“It’s literally like passing the torch,” Marshall says.
In Scuttle speak, it’s like passing the dinglehopper.
The scene already existed in the screenplay, written by David Magee.
Halle Bailey (the current Ariel) and Jodi Benson (the original Ariel) meet at the premiere of ‘The Little Mermaid’.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
In the 1989 film, Ariel combs her hair with a fork at the prince’s dining table.
Marshall didn’t feel that was right.
So they reimagined it in this marketplace setting.
“It was just a huge thrill for me when Robbie reached out.
I’m like, ‘Of course I’m gonna come!
I don’t care what I’m doing.
“It was just pure joy for me.”
These were pandemic times at the height of COVID-19-prompted lockdowns in May 2020.
[It] exuded a tremendous amount of heat,” she says of shooting the sequence.
“The cast members, in between takes, would love to come around to warm up.”
“Jodi was equally as lovely and effusive about this meeting.
It was quite beautiful.
I mean, it’s 34 years later.
The beauty of Jodi is that she’s so open-hearted and excited about this Ariel living alongside her Ariel.
They’re both there forever now.
I think everybody on the set was just thrilled to have Jodi there.
It was just really, really moving for all of us.”
Want more movie news?
