Halle Bailey spent 13 hours a day in the water to play Ariel

To become Princess Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” Halle Bailey would often spend up to 13 hours in the water, she revealed while speaking to Edition magazine.

The movie “The Little Mermaid” with beloved Ariel, directed by Rob Marshall, used water tanks and visual effects to create large-scale underwater scenes.

“I pushed myself as hard as I could. And I feel that message from [Άριελ] It was like you had to know you always had something inside you, Billy said.

The actress added that the film will give a more modern take on the classic story of The Little Mermaid.

“I’m really excited about my version of the movie because we definitely changed the perspective of him wanting to leave the ocean for a boy,” Bailey said. “It’s so much more than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants.”

“As women, we’re amazing, we’re independent, we’re on trend, we’re everything. And I’m glad Disney is addressing some of these issues.”

Disney’s The Little Mermaid opens in theaters May 26.