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Halle Bailey's body double on 'The Little Mermaid' is sharing behind-the-scenes moments, including a rehearsal for the iconic 'rock' scene

Screenshots from Harrison's TikTok, including a photograph with Halle Bailey, and a behind-the-scenes rehearsal from the film.
Harrison, a core dancer on the production, got to live out her childhood dream of becoming a Disney princess.tiktok.com/@_yasminharrison
  • Yasmin Harrison was a main dancer in "The Little Mermaid" and served as Ariel's camera double.

  • The performer's behind-the-scenes TikToks on set have accrued millions of views.

  • She even got to rehearse the iconic scene where Ariel perches longingly on a rock as water splashes behind her.

A cast member of the "The Little Mermaid" movie is sharing a glimpse behind-the-scenes of the ambitious and buzzy production — including how she transformed into the titular character for rehearsal and body doubling purposes.

On Monday, professional dancer Yasmin Harrison shared a video of herself rehearsing one of the most iconic moments in the film: During the song "Part of Your World (Reprise)," when Ariel lunges onto a rock in the middle of the sea as water splashes dramatically behind her. (It's a scene that's almost become a meme on TikTok, thanks to Ariel's curious hand gestures.)

Ariel is played by singer and actor Halle Bailey, but Harrison completed camera-blocking for the role, which refers to plotting a character's movements before filming so they can be optimally captured.

"Living my childhood dream of being a Disney Princess," Harrison captioned one of her most viral TikToks she posted on Tuesday, which has accrued 5 million videos.

In a follow-up video, Harrison shared a photo with Bailey and told viewers she also played one of the turtles. The dancer dressed in a blue special effects suit, as other blue-suited extras literally carried Ariel on their backs in one scene.

Harrison said she worked with storied choreography Alvin Ailey and served as a "core dancer" on the film, which, per the movie's credits, refers to a more prominent status than a standard dancer.

@_yasminharrison I worked on The Little Mermaid as a core dancer and this is just a glimpse at some of the fun stuff I got to do. ••• • • • #foryoupage#thelittlemermaid#bts#underthesea#ariel#dancer#foryou #adventure#disneyprincess ♬ The Little Mermaid (Marimba Remix) - Harry Goes Boom!

In a third update, Harrison shared a "GRWM [get ready with me], 'The Little Mermaid' edition," in which she has her hair and makeup fashioned in the same vein as Bailey.

"On the days I stood in or doubled Ariel, I had to be in the full hair, makeup, and costume," she wrote on the video montage. "My mornings would start at 6 a.m. and look a lot like this."

Interestingly, Harrison noted that she kept her hair covered with what appeared to be a second black wig, unless she was on set, for fear of ruining the surprise of the final look.

Behind-the-scenes footage from 'The Little Mermaid' is is becoming popular on TikTok, given the movie's buzz and growing intrigue about how its dazzling effects were achieved.

The film defied racist backlash over its decision to cast a Black lead, and opened at number one at the box office over Memorial Day weekend, with $117.5 million in US sales.

Harrison did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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