Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has been in the works for ages, but lately it’s been coming together awfully quick. Last week we heard that Melissa McCarthy had nabbed the role of Ursula, the tentacled baddie (although maybe Lizzo will swipe it from under her). Wednesday news broke that the big role of Ariel, the titular not-so-little mermaid, was going to young singer Halle Bailey. And if your brain — already shutting down for some holiday cook-outs and some Trump’s North Korea-esque parade hate-watching — initially read that as “Halle Berry,” you weren’t alone.
I can't be the only person who saw news that "Halle Bailey is The Little Mermaid" and got very confused because my mind misspelled her last name to make it read "Halle Berry is The Little Mermaid," right?
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) July 3, 2019
Halle Berry is boutta be real confused at all the "Congrats on The Little Mermaid!" messages heading her way.
— @alishagrauso.bsky.social (@AlishaGrauso) July 3, 2019
I read this as "Halle Berry" pic.twitter.com/HNTkh8cMAO
— Go Paolo ✒️ (@GoPaoloWrites) July 3, 2019
No, the Oscar-winning star of Monster’s Ball and Swordfish isn’t playing Ariel. In fact, Berry, like Bailey, is quite busy: She and her killer dogs kicked a lot of butt in John Wick: Chapter 3 earlier this summer, and she’s prepping for her own stunt-heavy action movie. So frankly she doesn’t have time to strap on some mermaid pants and moon over some young boy. So those duties will have to fall to someone who almost shares her same name.
Still, the confusion gave people something to do on a boring holiday eve. Some (apparently) played along.
https://twitter.com/ira/status/1146535177180651522
Others expressed self-disgust.
My dumbass brain trying to calculate how Halle Berry was gonna play a 16 year old mermaid pic.twitter.com/tE3wHORZOA
— Chayah (@TheBased_Spades) July 3, 2019
Others used the opportunity to plug something else.
If you read it as “Halle Berry is the Little Mermaid” that tells me you need to listen to more @ChloexHalle. Which you should do!
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) July 3, 2019
Others reveled in the mass hysteria.
https://twitter.com/alissamarie/status/1146504859631403008
my last two brain cells reading Halle Bailey as Halle Berry pic.twitter.com/BZKRJlJ5WY
— Frank Costa (@feistyfrank) July 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/jmsmith1906/status/1146543987421057027
https://twitter.com/prisonculture/status/1146516572128915457
Halle Berry is somewhere in a distressed wig wondering when she auditioned for the The Little Mermaid pic.twitter.com/gHdQv6WLlA
— A²💫 (@aluminummedal) July 3, 2019
I’m so old…. I thought I read HALLE BERRY IS ARIEL! 😑😂😑😂
— Bianca Del Rio (@TheBiancaDelRio) July 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/kpfallon/status/1146505986410274816