Jodi Benson Defends THE LITTLE MERMAID Lyric Changes For New Film

Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel in the 1989 animated film version of The Little Mermaid, is defending the updated lyric changes in the upcoming 2023 live action remake.

Earlier this year, composer Alan Menken revealed that lyrics in "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "Kiss the Girl" had been updated to reflect a modern day Disney princess. The changes were intended to give Ariel more agency and less of a need for help from a man.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Benson voiced her support for the new lyric changes, stating that they were a "must" for our modern day.

"We're talking about starting our [voiceover] sessions in '86 [for the original film]. It's 2023, so we have to grow, we have to learn, we have to be aware of our surroundings," Benson stated.

A line in "Kiss the Girl" was changed to address the issue of consent. A portion of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" that involves Ursula singing about "the power of body language" and men who think "a girl who gossips is a bore" was also removed. In the new film, Ariel and Prince Eric are equals when it comes to their relationship, with both of them longing to explore life outside of their bubbles.

“We’ve got to be aware of our growth as humans and what’s important now and what maybe isn’t as important,” Benson continued to share. “Things change. We’ve got to roll with that… But you’ve got to have growth. It’s very important to stay relevant with where we are, what’s going on around us. We need to be aware. So the adjustments and the fine-tuning that they needed to do, it was a must, but it was done in a beautiful way, and I’m very, very thrilled with it.”

Earlier this month, Benson praised Halle Bailey's new portrayal of Ariel, stating that she did not give her any advice leading up to the film.

"She doesn't need any advice from me. She's brilliant. I did get to meet her a few times and get to chat with her and just to tell her how proud I was of her," Benson shared.

The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton's daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.

While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life - and her father's crown - in jeopardy.

Halle Bailey stars as Ariel in Disney's new live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid. Joining her in the film is Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.

Listen to the 2023 The Little Mermaid soundtrack here: