Los Angeles, April 7 -- Actress and singer Halle Bailey says starring as Ariel in Disney's 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid taught her "how to block out the noise" and stay grounded amid public scrutiny, according to People.

Bailey, 26, described her role as Ariel as "a beautiful experience" and said the attention -- including online racist backlash to her casting -- helped her develop resilience. "I feel like it taught me to listen to myself and the good voices inside. I learnt how to block out the noise," she said.

Bailey reflected on the experience as eye-opening, "It was actually freeing to be in the middle of this conversation where so many different opinions were coming in, and they were so opposite from one another,"...