CGI

Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” Receives Positive Initial Reviews, Even With “Some CGI Issues”

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When it was first announced that Disney had cast a Black woman, Halle Bailey, as the lead in their live-action The Little Mermaid remake, all hell broke loose. Of course, her community was happy to see the 23-year-old thriving. Unfortunately, racists couldn’t help but run their mouths on social media regarding the push for diversity. Yara Shadidi was met with a similar response when she earned the role of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy. Nevertheless, both young actresses have since been shutting down critics with their work.

After months of waiting, Bailey’s first-ever film made its world premiere in Hollywood on Monday (May 8). It won’t be available to the general public until later this month, though a select group of celebrity friends such as Offset, Chlöe Bailey, and Kelly Rowland were all invited to the early screening. Other industry figures were in attendance as well, many of whom have already been sharing their thoughts regarding The Little Mermaid on Twitter.

Read More: DDG Debuts “In Love With A Mermaid,” Seemingly Referencing Girlfriend Halle Bailey

Halle Bailey Stuns at The Little Mermaid Premiere

Halle Bailey attends the world premiere of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” on May 08, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

“#TheLittleMermaid makes it pretty close to being the best live-action Disney movie,” one lucky earlier viewer shared with social media followers. “However, it still struggles in the villain department,” they admitted. “Halle Bailey IS Ariel and I had literal chills throughout her performance. This is a little mermaid retelling like you’ve never seen before.”

Elsewhere, Kelly Rowland also sang her young friend’s praises, writing, “‘The Little Mermaid’ is truly AN EPIC WATCH!!! The music in this movie!! FREAKINGGGGGGGWOWWWWW!! You laugh, you cry, you sing along!!” along with photos of her colourful outfit from the premiere. “I know I’m gonna be singing these songs for weeks to come!!!!!!” the Destiny’s Child alum declared.

Read More: Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” Doll Leaves Actress Emotional

Twitter Reacts to Disney’s Latest Live-Action Movie

Following the event, Halle Bailey shared beautiful photos of her designer dress, as well as some thoughts about her experience preparing for the premiere. “You guys, I’m so overwhelmed and overjoyed that this movie is almost here for you all to see,” she wrote on Monday afternoon. “This was the first premiere of the press run and I have been in tears and feeling oh so grateful,” the rising starlet further gushed. Keep scrolling to see more Twitter reactions, and let us know if you’ll be at the theatres on May 26th to catch the public debut of The Little Mermaid in the comments.

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Lauren London Jonah Hill’s “You People” Kiss Was CGI, Says Andrew Schultz

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The hype surrounding You People has dissipated, but Andrew Schultz reignited conversations about the film. The comedy stars Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, and Nia Long, and audiences have well-received the star-studded flick. Schultz also makes an appearance in the movie as Hill’s character’s cousin. According to him, post-production added a CGI kiss.

At the conclusion of the film, Hill and London are at the altar seal their romance with a kiss. Schultz was there when the scene was being filmed, and he claims the smooch never happened. He explained things while on the Brilliant Idiots podcast that he co-hosts with Charlamagne Tha God. “There’s a hilarious thing, I don’t even know if I should share this sh*t, but the final scene, they don’t even kiss,” he said.

Read More: Lauren London Laughs About Awkward Way She Met Jonah Hill

“It’s CGI. Swear to god,” he added. “I’m there, I’m watching the wedding, and I see them go in for the kiss, and their faces stop like this far. And I’m like, ‘I wonder how they’re going to play that in the movie. Oh, they’re probably just gonna cut right there.’ But the movie, you can see their faces come close, and then you can see their faces morph a little bit into a fake kiss.”

There hasn’t been confirmation from Barris or the actors about the allegations. When the trailer for You People first surfaced, production came under social media fire from people who questioned if Hill and London would ever be together in real life. Fans weren’t sure they would make a convincing couple on screen when many couldn’t see them as a match. Those discussions have reignited since Schultz’s revelation.

Read More: Lauren London Shares How She Found “Courage” To Act Again After Nipsey’s Death

Additionally, the public has also speculated about why a CGI kiss would be necessary. Some brought up the passing of Nipsey Hussle and London possibly not wanting to cross any lines with her co-star. However, others pointed out that she did have romantic scenes with Michael B. Jordan in their 2021 film, Without Remorse.