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The Chinese state-run propaganda newspaper Global Times continued its furious campaign against Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid on Friday, defending Chinese moviegoers from accusations of racism for their disinterest in the film, starring black actress Halle Bailey.
The Disney film debuted in both China and the United States on Friday. As of Thursday evening, the Global Times reported, ticket pre-sales in China stood at 600,000 yuan ($85,000), a feeble, at best, showing that the state publication insisted did not indicate any racism on the part of the audience.
The Global Times condemned Bailey’s casting in 2019, claiming that allowing the titular mermaid to appear black in the film was a needless “disruption of the character who originally appeared as a white princess with red hair in the Disney cartoon.” Following reports this week of shockingly low ticket pre-sales for the movie in China – and reports that Disney altered movie posters in China to make Bailey appear blue, rather than black – the state newspaper has repeatedly condemned both the decision to cast Bailey and concerns that the Chinese government, or Chinese viewers, were biased against the movie because of its black star. On Thursday, the Times condemned Bailey’s appearance in the film as a “lazy and irresponsible” way to include nonwhite faces in American entertainment.
“If the company truly wants to represent marginalized groups, why not create original stories that reflect their experiences instead of turning classic tales into ‘sacrificial lambs’ for political correctness?” the state publication asked.
On Friday, the Global Times escalated its rhetoric, describing The Little Mermaid as a weapon in the hands of “white leftist” activists meant to wrongfully attack the Chinese and impose “cultural hegemony.”
“Western ‘white leftist’ netizens use [of] their political correctness to kidnap Chinese audiences is naked cultural hegemony,” the Global Times proclaimed.
