Odessa A'zion's attempt to become Disney's live-action Ariel turned into a cringe-worthy memory when she completely blanked during her audition. The Marty Supreme actress recently opened up about the embarrassing moment that ended her chances of playing the iconic mermaid princess.
"I was so nervous that I forgot the lyrics to 'Part of Your World' while I was singing it," A'zion confessed to TheEntBase during the Oscars red carpet. "I was doing it in Ariel's voice, like a princess voice, and then they're like, 'Just do it normal,' [and] I couldn't do it normal. I'd memorized it in that voice. I left like, that was the most embarrassing thing on planet Earth, and [I] didn't hear back, didn't get a call back."
Odessa A'zion in 'Marty Supreme.'. A24
The role ultimately went to Halle Bailey, who Disney announced as their Ariel in July 2019. Director Rob Marshall praised Bailey's "rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance" along with her "glorious singing voice." Despite COVID-19 delays, the film premiered in May 2023, grossing $560 million worldwide and earning critical acclaim for Bailey's performance.
While A'zion missed out on Ariel, her career has surged since that awkward audition. The daughter of actress Pamela Adlon and director Felix Adlon broke out in HBO's I Love LA and earned an Actor Awards nomination for her supporting role in Marty Supreme as Rachel Mizler, the pregnant partner to Timothée Chalamet's ping-pong hustler.
