It’s no surprise that when Halle Bailey goes on vacation, she wants to be where the water is.
“A beach, a waterfall, a refreshing river,” the singer, who is taking on the iconic role of Ariel in the live-action reboot of the 1989 animated Disney classic “The Little Mermaid,” told Travel + Leisure about her favourite type of trip. “I just spent my birthday in Jamaica and swam in Dunn’s River Falls for the first time. That was beautiful.”
“I am a go-with-the-flow person”
Halle Bailey seems to subtly identify with her character in multiple ways — she too has dreams of big adventures, and all she needs is a plan. “I am a go-with-the-flow person,” she told T+L, adding that she hopes her next trip brings her to Africa. “I need to become a better planner.”
As the one responsible for bringing everyone’s favourite mermaid to life on the big screen, Bailey also shared her thoughts on what travelling with Ariel would actually be like. Spoiler alert: She’d be an overpacker.
“She would bring along all the treasures she collects. She would not need too many clothes and shoes, so her luggage [would] have a bunch of artefacts that heightens her curiosity about the world above the sea,” Bailey mused. “I think she would bring along Sebastian, Scuttle, and Flounder, of course.”
And if she’s anything like Bailey in real life, she’d also bring her allergy medicine. Whether she’s travelling or home, the star makes sure her health is a top priority, especially as someone who deals with allergies. Bailey recently partnered with allergy medication brand Zyrtec to help her fans see that this time of year doesn’t have to be all that bad.
“I get a scratchy throat and stuffy nose — especially now that it’s spring — and Zyrtec has always been my go-to because it works fast and provides a full 24 hours of relief,” she told T+L. “As a singer especially, I need to keep my allergies in check to help my voice, so I always carry around Zyrtec in my bag for those days I feel my symptoms coming on, which is a lot lately!”
Bailey said she really tries to listen to her body, and, in spite of her busy schedule, rest as much as she can. Resting her voice is extra important — it helped her secure her role as Ariel, after all.
“I am grateful to [director] Rob Marshall who saw me during a Grammy performance and immediately thought I could be Ariel,” she said. “He did not want to change my hair so I am playing Ariel with my locs. I know that means so many little girls and boys will see themselves in this film and it makes me so happy. I truly believe the film does a great job at showing representation in a matter-of-fact way, and that is significant.”
Halle Bailey, “I have loved ‘The Little Mermaid’ since I was a little girl and pretended to be Ariel every time I went swimming with my sister in our pool in Atlanta. It’s a full-circle moment.”
(Hero and feature image credit: Getty Images)
This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
Related: Going Places With People: A European Escapade With Singer-songwriter Lisa Mishra
