The Big Picture

Halle Bailey wraps filming on the Pharrell Williams film, starring alongside Kelvin Harrison Jr.
The musical film is set in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1977 and inspired by Williams’ childhood neighborhood.
Bailey is known for her musical talents and previous roles in
The Little Mermaid
and
The Color Purple.

Halle Bailey has given a major update on the upcoming Pharrell Williams film from Universal Pictures. While details remain slim, Bailey has announced that she has wrapped filming on the still-untitled project, in which she will star alongside Kelvin Harrison Jr. It is unclear if the entire shoot has wrapped or just Bailey’s part, but either way it seems that production on the film is coming along smoothly.

Bailey announced the news on her Instagram page, thanking the production team as well as the film’s director, Michel Gondry. “That’s a wrap,” Bailey said. “Thank you to Michel Gondry, @universalpictures & @pharrell for including me in such a magical project. And my amazing castmates. Also to the beautiful people of Virginia for lifting me up and taking such good care of me my first movie back, [3 months] after having my baby. I’m feeling so strong & grateful and can’t wait till y’all get a chance to see this one.” Bailey’s post included several set shots and photos with crew and castmates on the film.

The project remains mostly in the dark plot-wise, but it has been described as a musical film about the life of Williams. Though not a straight biopic, the film is set in Viriginia Beach, Virginia, in the summer of 1977 and is inspired by the Atlantis Apartments, the singer’s childhood neighborhood. Beyond Harrison Jr. and Bailey, the film also stars Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Gondry directed the Universal film from a screenplay by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson. Williams is producing the film alongside Mimi Valdés through his i am OTHER production banner, while Gil Netter produces for Gil Netter Productions.

Bailey Is Best Known for Her Musical Talents

It is almost a guarantee that Bailey’s voice will feature heavily in the film, as she is known for her musical talents. The 24-year-old started her career as a singer alongside her sister Chloe Bailey, and they earned a series of Grammy nominations together. She became best known for her on-screen role in the ABC sitcom Grown-ish, a spinoff of Black-ish, where she had a main role for the first three seasons.

Bailey shot to true prominence, however, when she was cast as Ariel in Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. The film was released in 2023 and featured Bailey singing songs from both the 1989 animated film and original works for the adaptation. Despite mixed expectations, The Little Mermaid grossed $569 million at the worldwide box office, including almost $300 million in North America. Bailey followed this up with a notable role in another reboot – Warner Bros.’ adaptation of The Color Purple, based on the musical and 1985 film of the same name. The film recieved critical acclaim and further raised Bailey’s profile.

No release window for the Pharrell film has been announced. The Little Mermaid is streaming now on Disney+.