Halle Bailey Added to Pharrell-Inspired Musical

Here’s some Hip-Hop in Hollywood news: A Pharrell Williams-inspired musical film in the works at Universal just added another star name. Halle Bailey, the star of The Little Mermaid, will lead opposite Kelvin Harrison Jr. and 2024 Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

Pretty much all the industry trades confirmed Bailey’s involvement in the project, but her character and the other character details are tightly under wraps. However, if you know much about Pharrell’s story, you can imagine a whole lot.  

Michael Gondry (Be Kind Rewind) is directing, and Williams, of course, is producing.

So Shadow and Act say the film is a “coming-of-age musical set in 1977 Virginia Beach,” and the story will draw inspiration from Williams’ childhood experiences “growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.” See, there’s a lot of intel there, but they say the project is “under wraps.” How is that guarding a secret? Anyway, Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson are penning the script.

Williams will produce with Mimi Valdés via I am OTHER. Gil Netter produces under his self-titled production company, Gil Netter Productions.

Bailey was last seen in a significant role in The Color Purple and was the titular character in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. 

Insert Neptunes’ track sound. Let’s see how many of you’ll get that one.