Starring as Ariel herself in Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid, singer and actor Halle Bailey truly is the moment. 

And as a Black woman, she’s giving girls all over the world a powerful moment of representation. You’ve likely already seen – and teared up at – the videos of young Black girls watching the trailer for the film and getting excited about the prospect of a Disney princess that looks like them. This is huge. It really matters. 

So when it came to interviewing Bailey for Stylist’s June issue, we wanted to enlist two people who would really get just how momentous the actor’s upcoming role is. Enter Faith, 16, and Shannon, 17, two young reporters, Bailey fans and authors featured in the Girlhood Unfiltered essay collection. 

Thanks to Milk Honey Bees, an organisation set up by Ebinehita Iyere and a “creative and expressive safe space for Black girls to flourish and put H.E.R (Healing, Empowerment and Resilience) first”, Faith and Shannon were able to chat with Bailey about self-care, navigating the backlash, Beyoncé and so much more. You can watch a preview of the conversation ahead, but to read everything Bailey had to say, you’ll need to read the latest issue of Stylist, out on Apple News from Monday 12 June, and nationwide in print from Tuesday 13 June. 

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Images: Chantel King