Princess Ariel

1. Biography
Princess Ariel is a fictional character and the title character of Walt Disney
Pictures 28th animated film The Little Mermaid (1989). Co-director and writer Ron
Clements felt that Ariel is voiced by Jodi Benson in all official animated appearances
and merchandise. She is fourth in the Disney Princess lineup, and the only princess
to become a mother to her own child
Jodi Benson, who was predominantly a stage actress, was chosen to voice
Ariel because the directors felt it was really important to have the same person
doing the singing and speaking voice
Ariel has a distinctive appearance, with her long, flowing, bright red hair, blue
eyes, green mermaid tail and purple seashell bikini top. In the films and television
series, she is the seventh-born daughter of King Triton and Queen Athena of an
underwater kingdom of Merfolk. She is often rebellious, and in the first film longs to
be a part of the human world. She marries Prince Eric, whom she rescued from a
shipwreck, and together they have a daughter, Melody.
Ariel was based on the title character of Hans Christian Andersens The Little
Mermaid, but co-director and writer Ron Clements felt that the mermaid in the
original story was too tragic and rewrote the character, resulting in Ariel.

2. As it was created
In 1985, the co- director of the Great Mouse Detective, Ron Clements
discovered a collection of fairy tales of Andersen, while looking for books in a
bookstore. He presented a two-page of a film Project based on The Little Mermaid
for Michael Eisner and president of Walt Disney Studios, Jeffrey Katzenberg, as a
suggestion for a movie. Eisner and Katzenberg left the Project for later, because at
that time the studio was developing the film Splash A Mermaid in my life. The next
day, however, Katzenberg gave permission to the idea of development, along with
Oliver & Company.
This was the last Disney film to use hand painted cells and analog camera.
More than 1000 colors were used in more than 1.100 scenarios. More than one
million of drawings were made in total. Still, the tests of character, some sequences

used the CAPS (automatic painting process) like the scene of Ariels wedding, and
when she comes down stair of Erics palace.

3. Movie History
This story is just like any other love story: girl finds boy, boy finds girl; they fall
in love and live happily ever after. Well, not quite so, we are missing the twist. The
girl is a mermaid, the boy is a human prince; her father, the King of Atlanta, forbids
her from having any contact with the human world. Meanwhile, a Sea Witch wholl
do anything to take over the world (the undersea world that is), takes advantage of
the situation by luring the heartsick teenager to fall in her trap

4. Little Mermaid appearances

Films
The Little Mermaid (1989)
The Little Mermaid (TV Series) (1992 to 1994)
The Little Mermaid II Return to the Sea (2000)
The Little Mermaid: Ariels Beginning (2008)
In other media
Tie-in music albums
Disney Princess
Broadway musical
Disney Parks
Video games and television
Once Upon a Time
Video game
Park attractions
Puzzle

5. Curiosities
Did you know?
The little Mermaid grossed $84.4 million in its original release in the U.S and
$100.5 million internationally for grand total of $184.9 million

The Little Mermaid won a Golden Globe and two Oscars, one for Best
Original Song Under the Sea and another for Best Original Score. The TLM
soundtrack is multiplatinum.
The Little Mermaid was re-released in theaters on November 14th, 1997 for
a special 17-day Thanksgiving holiday