Disney has long depicted the character as white, including at its theme parks.ĭisney has long regarded these kinds of social media storms as tempests in teapots: trending today, replaced by a new complaint tomorrow. (“It’s she who holds her tongue who gets a man.”) In the biggest change, Halle Bailey, who is Black, plays Ariel, the mermaid. The new version scuttles problematic lyrics from the 1989 original. Bailey’s corner of the Magic Kingdom as prime examples.Ĭonsider his remake of “The Little Mermaid,” which arrived in theaters two weeks ago and cost an estimated $375 million to make and market.
Many companies are finding themselves in this vise - Target, Anheuser-Busch, Nike - but Disney, which has a powerful impact on children as they are forming life beliefs, has been uniquely challenged. In this hyperpartisan moment, both sides of the political divide have been pounding on Disney to stand with them, with movies that come from Mr. For every person who applauds Disney, there seems to be a counterpart who complains about being force-fed “wokeness.” Bailey, a low-profile and self-effacing executive, in the middle of a very loud, very unpolite cultural fight.
Bailey said.īut that worldview - and business strategy - has increasingly put Disney and Mr. “We want to reflect the world as it exists,” Mr.
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