Chloe Bailey Has the Biggest Sister Energy and Her Words About Halle’s ‘Little Mermaid’ Backlash Prove It
Few sibling bonds in Hollywood feel as genuinely unbreakable as the one between Chloe and Halle Bailey. The sisters came up together in the entertainment industry as the musical duo Chloe x Halle, and their closeness has remained a defining feature of both of their public personas even as their individual careers have taken them in different directions. That foundation of mutual support is exactly what makes Chloe’s latest comments feel so raw and so real.
The occasion for the candid interview was the release of Chloe’s new Peacock psychological thriller ‘Strung’. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee and debuting on June 26 on Peacock, the film follows a talented violinist who becomes entangled in the dangerous world of a wealthy family after taking a job as a private music tutor. While promoting the project, Chloe sat down with Variety to open up about her journey from child star to leading lady, Beyoncé’s mentorship, and the prospect of a Chloe x Halle reunion.
But it was the conversation about her sister that stopped everything. When asked whether it was difficult to watch the racist online reaction to Halle being cast as Ariel in Disney’s live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’, Chloe did not hesitate. “Of course. Absolutely. It broke my heart,” she said, as reported by Variety. “Seeing her put so much hard work and time into an iconic role, I just wanted people to see how incredible she was in it, because this was all happening before the movie even came out. But my sister is resilient and I’m happy she proved all the naysayers wrong.”
The backlash began almost immediately after Halle was cast, with racist trolls flooding social media with objections to a Black actress playing the animated character, making her the target of sustained online harassment. Halle’s grandparents helped her weather the storm when the hashtag began trending, sharing their own experiences with racism and offering words of encouragement, telling her the role was a meaningful moment for their community and for young Black and brown girls who would finally see themselves in a Disney princess.
Chloe also revealed that Beyoncé, who signed the sisters to her Parkwood Entertainment label, had long preached what she called the “no scroll rule”: don’t read the comments, don’t read what people are saying, and don’t let it fill your head up. That advice, it seems, proved invaluable as Halle navigated one of the most publicly charged casting controversies in recent Disney history. Halle herself has since described the experience as ultimately freeing, saying she learned to listen to herself and block out the noise.
Even with the controversy, ‘The Little Mermaid’ went on to perform strongly at the global box office and brought Halle widespread recognition for her portrayal of Ariel. Critical praise for her performance followed, and her Ariel doll becoming a bestseller was perhaps the most tangible sign that her version of the character had been warmly embraced. As for Chloe, she is stepping firmly into her own spotlight with ‘Strung’, and the sisters have also hinted that their time apart has only strengthened what they bring to the table, with Chloe suggesting they will be even better when they eventually reunite as Chloe x Halle.
If Chloe’s words about watching her little sister face that storm don’t move you, are you even paying attention, and what do you think it meant for young fans seeing Halle Bailey stand tall as Ariel despite everything thrown at her?
