Halle Bailey left questioning her looks after receiving ‘backhanded compliment’ from fans

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Halle Bailey is grappling with a puzzling compliment she's been receiving from fans, and now she’s left wondering about its deeper meaning.

Over the weekend, 'The Little Mermaid' star took to Snapchat to share bits about her day, while also asking her followers for their opinions on a recent encounter with a fan that left her feeling a bit confused.

Halle Bailey reflects on backhanded compliment from fans

Halle Bailey revealed that when fans meet her in person, many of them say the same thing: “You’re so much prettier in person!”

While the comment might initially seem flattering, Halle found herself wondering if there was more to it.

“So, can I ask a question,” Halle began. “I have had so many people come up to me — who are so nice, y'all are so nice — the first thing you say to me is, 'Wow, you're so much prettier in person!'"

Though the fans undoubtedly mean well, Halle couldn’t help but think about the implications.

“Do I look ugly in pictures or something? Or do I look...what does that mean?” she asked with a slight laugh, clearly feeling uncertain.

The Grammy-nominated artist admitted that she felt the comment might be more of a “backhanded compliment". Still, she wasn’t sure if she was overthinking it or if she was just being extra sensitive, reported BuzzFeed.

“Or is that like, 'So you thought I was not cute or something before?'” Halle continued.

While Halle's moment of vulnerability highlights how comments, even those meant as compliments, can sometimes be received differently than intended, her response offers a candid look into how celebrities navigate these types of interactions.

The recent comments come more than a year after she faced backlash after being cast as Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid'.

Halle Bailey addresses backlash over 'The Little Mermaid' casting

Back in 2023, Halle Bailey addressed the backlash she faced from people upset about her being cast as Ariel in Disney's live-action/CG-animated 'The Little Mermaid'.

In a candid interview with The Face, Bailey opened up about the criticism, saying, "As a Black person, you just expect it and it's not really a shock anymore."

Despite the negativity, she remained resilient and drew on advice from her mentor Beyonce, recalling how she and her sister Chloe were taught not to focus on online comments.

"When [Chloe and I] first signed to Parkwood, [Beyonce] was always like: 'I never read my comments. Don't ever read the comments.'"

"Honestly, when the teaser came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn't see any of the negativity," she revealed.

Her excitement and focus on the positive reception at the D23 Expo helped shield her from the wave of criticism.

When Bailey was first cast as Ariel, the announcement quickly ignited controversy, with many people voicing their disapproval of a Black actress taking on the iconic role.

The negative reactions intensified when Disney released the teaser trailer at D23, which featured Bailey’s powerful rendition of 'Part of Your World'.