Original Ariel voice actor Jodie Benson has defended the new changes made in the forthcoming live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid.
The iconic 61-year-old actress and singer showcased an incredible vocal performance as the red-haired beauty in the original Disney animation which came out in 1989.
Fast forward three decades later, the beloved movie will be released again - but this time as a live-action remake starring Halle Bailey as the mermaid, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.
The highly anticipated film - which has been hailed by fans and critics at early screenings - is directed by Rob Marshall and will feature a soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken.
Check out The Little Mermaid soundtrack below:The flick will include a rendition of 'Part of Your World' sung by the 23-year-old, along with four new original songs. It will also feature songs such as 'Kiss The Girl' (sung by Sebastian the Crab, who is voiced by Daveed Diggs) and 'Poor Unfortunate Souls', the classic villain song performed by Ursula.
However, the lyrical content of these songs will be tweaked to fit contemporary times and make Ariel's character less about wanting a man, and more about wanting to have her own agency.
The alterations garnered some backlash on social media from fans who deemed it unnecessary, however, Benson has weighed in on the discourse, saying that the changes aren't just welcome, but necessary.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the OG Ariel said: "We're talking about starting our [voiceover] sessions in 1986 [for the original film]. It's 2023, so we have to grow, we have to learn, we have to be aware of our surroundings.
"We've got to be aware of our growth as humans and what's important now and what maybe isn't as important. Things change. We've got to roll with that," she continued.
The actress, who notably voiced the character of Barbie in the Toy Story franchise, also praised the director and producer for implementing the changes for audiences.
"I think that Rob [Marshall] and John [DeLuca] have done a beautiful job of doing that, and still paying tribute and honor to our original film. But you've got to have growth. It's very important to stay relevant with where we are, and what's going on around us. We need to be aware," Benson said.
"So the adjustments and the fine-tuning that they needed to do, it was a must, but it was done in a beautiful way, and I'm very, very thrilled with it," she added.
The Grammy nominee who is taking over the role agreed with the changes and said in an interview with Edition that the film "definitely changed its perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy. It’s way bigger than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants".
Last year, Benson publicly backed Bailey's casting as the velvet-voiced mermaid after the teaser trailer garnered two million dislikes on YouTube.
The live-action trailer was released by Disney at their D23 Expo fan convention on September 10, which the OG star shared on her Instagram story, writing: "So thrilled! So excited! Halle, you were absolutely amazing!"
Alongside a photo of the 'Cool People' singer and the director, Benson continued: "I’m SO proud of you and your beautiful performance as Ariel. It was so wonderful to share with your family here at D23 Expo.
"And to the brilliant director Rob Marshall…I’m so thankful for our friendship of over 35 years. Thank you for creating such a stunning film!!!", she added.
Benson was also at the recent premiere in Los Angeles with her family and shared a heartwarming video of the moment she embraced Bailey and sent her words of encouragement.
The Little Mermaid will be released in theaters on Friday, May 26.
