Heidi Klum, Melissa McCarthy & More Stars Who Stunned at The Little Mermaid Premiere

When the casting of singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel was announced for Disney‘s live-action remake of the classic fairytale The Little Mermaid, fans of the animated classic lost it. In essence, people complained that Bailey didn’t have the intended “look” from the original 1989 movie. You heard us right – 1989! Let’s just say it like it is; people were racist. Critics online weren’t afraid to air out their prejudice and bully this budding young Black actress in what appeared to be her big break.

“As a Black person, you just expect it and it’s not really a shock anymore,” Bailey told The Face, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I know people are like, ‘It’s not about race.’ But now that I’m her … People don’t understand that when you’re Black there’s this whole other community. It’s so important for us to see ourselves.”

Luckily for everyone else, the production didn’t listen to the haters. Instead, Bailey embodied Ariel’s spirit and showed off her major singing chops in the snippet of “Part of Your World” in the movie’s trailer.

And, on May 8, Bailey, co-stars, friends, and family all joined to celebrate the movie’s big premiere at the Dolby Theatre. “It’s so amazing to be able to play this iconic role, I feel honored to be here today,” she told The Hollywood Reporter on the carpet. “I’m so grateful that everybody’s going to be able to watch it all together and I just cannot wait.” The Little Mermaid hits theaters soon on May 26.

Check out some of the premiere’s best looks below!