When most people ask who played Ariel in The Little Mermaid, they’re usually thinking of two specific names. One is a red-headed cartoon from 1989. The other is a live-action powerhouse from 2023. But the list of performers who have donned the purple shells is actually much longer and weirder than you’d expect. Honestly, the character is such an icon that Disney has been incredibly protective of who gets to voice her, yet they’ve also let the character evolve across Broadway stages, TV screens, and even theme park parades.
It’s not just about a pretty voice. Ariel is a unique beast in the Disney pantheon because she spends half her movie unable to speak. That means the actress playing her has to convey everything through eyes, movement, and a very specific kind of "silent" charisma.
The Woman Who Started It All: Jodi Benson
You can’t talk about who played Ariel in The Little Mermaid without starting with Jodi Benson. She is the blueprint. Back in the late 80s, Disney was in a bit of a slump, and The Little Mermaid was the "make or break" project for the studio's animation wing. Howard Ashman, the legendary lyricist, actually recruited Benson from the Broadway world. She was starring in a show called Smile at the time.
Benson didn’t just record her lines in a booth and go home. Ashman directed her like it was a stage play. During the recording of "Part of Your World," he actually dimmed the lights in the studio to make her feel like she was underwater. It worked.
Benson’s voice has a very specific "breathiness" to it that makes Ariel feel like a real sixteen-year-old girl rather than a polished opera singer. It’s that vulnerability that saved the character from being just another flat princess. Fun fact: Benson has continued to voice Ariel for over thirty years in sequels, the 90s TV show, Kingdom Hearts video games, and even Ralph Breaks the Internet. To a whole generation, she literally is the mermaid.
The Broadway Transformation: Sierra Boggess
When Disney decided to take the show to the stage in 2008, they had a massive problem. How do you make a human look like they’re swimming on a dry stage? And more importantly, who could possibly follow Jodi Benson?
Enter Sierra Boggess.
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Boggess brought a more operatic, powerful "belt" to the role. She also had to do it while wearing Heelys. Yes, the Broadway cast wore roller-shoes to simulate the gliding motion of swimming. It sounds ridiculous, but Boggess made it look effortless. She captured that wide-eyed curiosity that defines the character. If Benson gave Ariel her soul, Boggess gave her a physical presence that proved the character could work outside of ink and paint.
Halle Bailey and the New Era
In 2023, the question of who played Ariel in The Little Mermaid took on a whole new meaning with the release of the live-action remake. Halle Bailey was cast, and it’s an understatement to say the internet had opinions. But once the movie actually came out, even the skeptics had to admit her vocal performance was undeniable.
Director Rob Marshall has said in interviews that Bailey was the first person they saw for the role. She set the bar so high that nobody else could touch it. Her version of "Part of Your World" changes the key and adds these incredible R&B-influenced "riffs" that make the song feel fresh again.
What’s interesting about Bailey’s portrayal is the focus on Ariel’s internal life. In the 1989 version, Ariel is very much a teenager in love. In the 2023 version, Bailey plays her as someone who is genuinely obsessed with the human world as a culture. It’s a subtle shift, but it makes the character feel a bit more modern and less "boy crazy."
The Live Specials and Unconventional Ariels
Believe it or not, we’ve seen some very famous people step into the tail for one-off performances. In 2019, ABC aired The Little Mermaid Live!, which was a weird hybrid of the movie and live musical performances.
Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, played Ariel for that event. It was a "clash of the titans" moment for Disney fans. She was fantastic, bringing a certain Polynesian warmth to the role, though the production itself got mixed reviews for its puppets and costumes.
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Then there’s the Hollywood Bowl. They do these massive concert screenings where live actors sing the songs while the movie plays. Sara Bareilles played Ariel in 2016, and Lea Michele took a turn in 2019. Each of them brought a totally different vibe. Bareilles was more folk-pop and grounded. Michele was full-on musical theater intensity.
The International Voices
We often forget that Disney movies are global. While we focus on Jodi Benson or Halle Bailey, there are dozens of women who have played Ariel in other languages.
- Naomi Maruyama provided the Japanese voice, capturing a "kawaii" but determined energy.
- Laura Pastor took on the Spanish dub for the live-action version, matching Halle Bailey’s vocal runs.
- Svetlana Svetikova voiced her for the Russian market, bringing a very different, almost classical tone to the songs.
It’s a massive operation. Disney’s character integrity team has to approve every single one of these actresses to ensure they sound "Ariel-adjacent." They don’t want the character sounding like a different person just because you crossed a border.
Why the Casting Matters So Much
People get weirdly defensive about Ariel. Why? Because she represents a very specific kind of rebellion. She’s the girl who wants to be "where the people are," even if her family doesn’t get it.
When you look at who played Ariel in The Little Mermaid across these different eras, you see a reflection of how we view young women. In the 80s, she was the rebellious teen. In the 2000s on Broadway, she was the adventurous explorer. Today, with Halle Bailey, she’s a symbol of representation and the idea that these stories belong to everyone.
The "voice" of Ariel isn't just about hitting the high notes. It’s about that specific mix of longing and stubbornness. Whether it's Benson’s soft-spoken wonder or Bailey’s powerhouse vocals, the core of the character remains that desperate need for something more.
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Surprising Trivia About Ariel's Actresses
Most people think it’s just about singing. It’s not.
Take the 2023 movie. Halle Bailey spent literal hours in harnesses and on "tuning forks"—these giant mechanical rigs—to simulate swimming. She had to act, sing, and maintain a core workout that would break an Olympic athlete, all at the same time.
And then there's the "silent" acting. Remember, for a huge chunk of the story, Ariel has no voice. The actresses have to rely entirely on pantomime. In the original animation, the animators actually used footage of a young Sherri Stoner to get Ariel's movements right. Stoner wasn't the voice, but she was the physical reference. She’d jump over blocks in the studio to help animators visualize Ariel navigating the shipwreck. So, in a way, she played Ariel too.
How to Explore Ariel's Legacy Yourself
If you’re a fan or a student of performance, there are some great ways to see the evolution of this character beyond just re-watching the movies.
- Listen to the "Part of Your World" Evolution: Go on a streaming service and play the Jodi Benson version, the Sierra Boggess Broadway version, and the Halle Bailey version back-to-back. You’ll hear exactly how musical styles have changed from 1989 to today.
- Check out the "Treasures Untold" Documentary: This is often found in the bonus features of the 1989 Blu-ray or on Disney+. It shows Jodi Benson in the booth with Howard Ashman, and it’s basically a masterclass in voice acting.
- Watch the Broadway Cast Recording videos: Seeing the "behind the scenes" of the Broadway show helps you appreciate the sheer physicality of playing a mermaid on land.
- Follow the International Dubs: If you really want to see the character's range, find the "Multilanguage" version of the songs on YouTube. It’s fascinating to hear how the "Ariel sound" translates into 30+ different languages.
The role of Ariel is a baton that gets passed down. It started with a Broadway actress in a dark booth in 1989 and has grown into a global phenomenon that spans races, mediums, and generations. Whether you prefer the classic animation or the new live-action spectacle, the "who" behind the mermaid is always someone who knows how to dream big.