When it was announced that Halle Bailey would be playing Ariel in the live-action Little Mermaid remake, the news was a cause of celebration among many.

As the first Black Disney princess seen in live-action on the big screen, many Black women were excited about seeing themselves represented on screen and for Bailey to take on such an iconic role.

But amid the celebratory tweets and Instagram posts was an undercurrent of criticism from those who opposed casting a Black woman as a white fictional character, with #NotMyAriel trending on Twitter and numerous racist comments levelled at the actor – something that Bailey has recently talked about.

In an interview with Variety, the actor and singer discussed the importance of this role and how her grandparents’ own experiences with racism and discrimination helped her deal with the backlash.

Halle Bailey just shared how her grandparents helped her deal with The Little Mermaid backlash