In the heart of Mexico City, inside a huge shopping mall with movie theaters, a spectacular set was set up with a lagoon, rocks and corals, surrounded by a blue carpet. This was the framework for the first latin of the new version and with the actors of The Little Mermaid, with the presence of the protagonists Halle Bailey and Javier Bardem.
The American premiere had been three days earlier, in Los Angeles, with the entire cast. The first reviews have been very positive and have raised the expectations of the fans the world premiere of the Disney film on Thursday 25 May.
A special environment
On Thursday evening, at the Toreo Parque Central, an immense shopping center built where there used to be a bullring, they met more than 2300 fans and special guests who were able to witness the passage of local and international personalities on the “blue carpet”.
The most anticipated figures, of course, were Halle Bailey and Javier Bardem, who play Princess Ariel and her father Triton. He first appeared the Spaniard, with whom he is married Penelope Cruz. She came full circle by posing and signing fan autographs on toys and posters, as well as chatting with press and event presenters Carla Medina and Alan Estrada.
Then entering, walking down the escalator from the food court, was the gorgeous 23-year-old singer-actress Halle Bailey, famous for duets with her sister Chloe.
She wore a sheer white dress, with pearls and a long train resembling a mermaid. She repeated the same circuit as Bardem and was greeted and dismissed by notable applause and ovations one of Disney’s most beloved princesses.
Both have overflowed with sympathy and patience for requests for selfies, photos, photo signatures and brief interviews with television media from all over Latin America.
Q&A with fans
About two hours after the start of the blue carpet, everyone moved to the halls of the Cinépolis complex, where 2,300 people were able to see the film two weeks early. Of course, there were extreme security measures: each person had to place their phone in a safety-lock bag that the organizers had just opened at the end of the show.
A great idea was to seat Bailey and Bardem in a small living room off the main room, where they answered questions from fans, local reporters, and Radio Disney contest winners.
So, after the actor’s request to turn on the lights in the room to be able to see people, the first question was from a 6-year-old girl named Bruna: do you believe in sirens?
Halle said yes and Javier pointed out that there were two in the room. “Of course I know,” Bardem said and asked Bruna if she believed in mermaids, and she said she did.
A reporter asked their opinion on the three new songs by The little Mermaid, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. “I love the songs,” Halle said, “and we all fell in love with the original songs from the cartoon, so being able to sing them along with the new ones was so exciting for the little girl in me.”
Another fan wanted to know what Halle Bailey felt when she made history with this new version. And she replied: “I felt very proud to be a woman who makes history, because I always dreamed of being a princess and it was a dream that came true. Women are strong and powerful, and we can do anything we take the lead, so I’m very grateful to be in this position.”
There were still half a dozen questions and then proceeded to the screening of the film, which had applause from the most emblematic songs and over the end credits.
The little mermaid 2023
Source: Clarin
