Christian values are incorporated into the “The Little Mermaid” 

This week, Disney’s 1989 animated classic “The Little Mermaid” made a splash at the box office.

It was the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever, with Halle Bailey being praised for starring as the titular mermaid, Ariel.

The newest live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” encourages us to embrace people from other cultures and to discard stereotypes. In the beginning, King Triton tells Ariel of the humans: “They’re savages!” And the queen forbids Prince Eric from dating anyone outside her kingdom. 

It turns out that both cultures are filled with kind-hearted, hardworking individuals who love to laugh, play and be creative. Therefore, although they may look different from the outside, they are very similar, and it is a lesson based on scripture. 

As it says in Colossians 3:11, “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all.”

Even Ariel asks at one point references her species by saying, “We are not all the same – so why should humans be?” 

The movie also offers solid lessons about sacrifice, and it manifests in situations where Ariel, Eric, and King Triton all put their lives on the line to save another or to follow what they believe in. We eventually know that as His chosen people, God puts us through many testing grounds to assess our loyalty towards Him. 

The movie includes a lesson about temptation as well. For example, Ariel tells Ursula, “This is wrong. I can’t do this.” But she gives in to Ursula’s temptation to give away her voice to be on land.

This is why, in the Bible, Jesus taught His disciples to avoid temptation by asking God, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). 

Halle Bailey and her journey to stardom

In addition to her work as a singer and actress, Halle Bailey is one half of the famous duo “Chloe x Halle.”

She and her sister hit a goldmine when their YouTube cover of Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” caught the attention of the music icon herself.

This song catapulted them to overnight fame and changed their lives forever. Halle Bailey and her sister Chloe have since opened for Beyoncé’s “The Formation World Tour and Andra Day’s “Cheers to the Fall” tours.

Additionally, they have released chart-topping albums such as ‘Uncovered’, ‘Sugar Symphony’, and ‘The Kids Are All Right’. It is their genre-transcending musical style that makes Halle and Chloe stand out. In regards to her acting career, Halle has appeared in several films, including ‘Last Holiday’ and ‘Let It Shine’.

Her performance in TV shows like “House of Payne” and “Grown-ish” earned her praise as well. And these days, the Bailey sisters are on their way to superstardom thanks to their massive following on YouTube and Instagram.