Halle Bailey; Stephanie Mills.Photo:Karwai Tang/WireImage; Prince Williams/Wireimage
Karwai Tang/WireImage; Prince Williams/Wireimage
Halle Baileyhas aBroadwaylegend in her corner.
Mills, whooriginated the role of Dorothyin the Broadway musicalThe Wizback in 1975, compared her own experience playing Dorothy on the stage — and the “hate mail” she received as a result — to some of the negative attention Bailey’s casting received for the new Disney live-action reimagining.
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Halle Bailey.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
“It’s sad to see the same thing is happening to this beautiful, talented, smart and intelligent actress," the actress wrote of racist criticisms levied against Bailey.
“Halle, God put you in this place and time … So let your light shine,” sheadded in the open letter. “Hold your head up high, walk in your peace, and celebrate the greatness that you are.”
Mills received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role as Dorothy inThe Wiz’s original production on Broadway; the show itself won sevenTony Awardsin 1975, including Best Musical, perPlaybill. Mills went on to reprise her role as Dorothy in aa 1984 revivalofThe Wiz,as well.
“They told me I would never make it on Broadway, they told me I couldn’t sing, they told me I was [too] dark, I have watched and listened to ‘they’ try to tell you why you shouldn’t and couldn’t,” Mills wrote in her letter to Bailey, adding, “I am so proud of you and how you handled all the naysayers.”
Bailey, for her part, has appeared graceful in ignoring the criticism,telling PEOPLE recently, “I don’t really think about the naysayers.”
“I just think about the people that are positive and lift me up,” the actress said, adding that she credits other Black movie stars stars likeWhitney HoustoninThe Bodyguard, Brandy inCinderellaand Anika Noni Rose inThe Princess and the Frogfor lighting her way ahead ofThe Little Mermaid.
“When I was able to see them, I felt like I was worthy,” Bailey added. “Now that I’m on posters andinspiring these little girls that come up to me, it’s very surreal. I just want to continue making them proud of me.”
Halle Bailey.VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
Bailey added during her recent interview that she hopes “that the people who do go see this movie love it and leave the theater feeling happy because we all really collectively worked so hard on it.”
“I know for sure I’m proud of it,” she said.
The Little Mermaidis in theaters now.
source: people.com
