As The Little Mermaid solidifies itself as the talk of the entertainment realm in the weeks leading up to the live-action film premiere, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter between Jodi Benson, Disney’s first Ariel, and a true princess at heart, is bringing tears to our eyes today β and we’re not the only ones.
Dallas influencer Jayla was invited to the blue carpet premiere of The Little Mermaid alongside her daughter, thanks to Liquid IV, and they enjoyed a day filled to the brim with magic. Life was truly the bubbles for the mother-daughter pair, and then Benson swam in and changed everything.
Dressed up in a perfect Ariel costume, Jayla’s daughter Nyla caught the attention of Benson and crew, and Jayla notes that they asked if they could take a photo with her. Before the snapshot gets taken, Benson makes sure the Ariel doll Nyla was carrying is ready for her big moment too, and with smiles all around, a core memory was formed for everyone involved, and everyone watching from home.
The video then shows a clip of Jayla, who tries to hold back tears as she realizes that Benson, a princess she’s adored since she was just a little girl, is right there. So yeah, we’re totally crying.
Benson has her arm around Jayla as she tries to hold back emotions, but it’s hard. We all grew up watching Disney movies, and I think it’s safe to say if any fan met the prince, princess, or villain they’d adored since they were little β they’d be emotional too. As Jayla cries and gets to hug her very favorite Disney princess, we’re all reminded of the magic that the Mouse House brings us. It’s easy to get lost in news cycles with a lot of negativity and drama in focus. Still, if you look at the heart of Disney, if you look at where it helped us all to believe in taking chances, falling in love, and honoring ourselves, it’s easy to see the magic still exists β it always has.
For Jayla, this piece of magic is something she’ll never forget, and as she watches her daughter grow up with Benson and Halle Bailey as versions of Ariel, she’ll hold onto this moment with even more reverence and joy. This is why we all believe in Disney, in magic, and in fairytales β because in these moments, they come true.
You can see The Little Mermaid in theaters beginning May 26.