Halle Bailey, star of 2023’s “The Little Mermaid” live-action reboot, has announced the birth of a baby boy, confirming consistent rumors that she was pregnant last year.
Bailey, an actress and singer-songwriter, first gained notoriety as part of the duo Chloe x Halle with her sister, Chloe Bailey. But 2023 ended up as a breakout year for her, with starring roles in both “The Little Mermaid” and a film adaptation of the Broadway show “The Color Purple.” In addition to her two movies, she released her debut single, “Angel,” as a soloist. The song has been nominated for a Grammy in the “Best R&B Song” category. “Oh my goodness you guys I feel like I’m in a dream. I just got off a plane and found out this news, God is so so good, I am so grateful and in disbelief,” she wrote on Instagram. “Gonna go cry all day.”
But as Bailey did press tours over the course of 2023, questions of a potential pregnancy began swirling, about which Bailey refused to comment. Many of her fashion choices, such as puffer jackets and flared dresses, seem to indicate that she was trying to hide her stomach.
And on January 6th, the rumors were proven true when Bailey shared an Instagram post of her baby boy. She further shared photos and video from her pregnancy, remarking that she was “missing my belly already,” adding that she “obviously had to do underwater pics,” seemingly in a nod to her role as Ariel.
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Many celebrities rushed to congratulate her, including Jodi Benson, who provided the voice of Ariel in the original cartoon version of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” She left a comment on Bailey’s Instagram post, which read, “Absolutely beautiful sweetie.” Rapper Nicki Minaj chimed in, commenting, “Welcome to earth, Halo. We’ve been expecting you. Congrats, mama!” Actress Rachel Ziegler likewise congratulated her, writing, “Welcome baby Halo!!!!! And congratulations beautiful mama!”
In another Instagram post, before announcing the birth of her son, Bailey gushed over how great 2023 had been for her. “2023 is a year i will never ever forget,” she wrote. “Looking back on this year, I can’t believe this is my life, I’m so thankful to God.”
But despite all Bailey accomplished, she said the birth of her son outweighed it all. “Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son,” she wrote in the birth announcement. “Welcome to the world my Halo. The world is desperate to know you.”
Other moms have expressed similar sentiments, stating that motherhood has been a blessing and has even outweighed the other achievements and events of their lives — like Shawn Johnson East, Kelly Osborne, Mira Sorvino, Lindsay Lohan, and many more.
