Inside Little Mermaid party where Stormzy partied with goddaughters and Jessica Wright danced with Halle Bailey
IT was the film event of the year so far as the biggest names in entertainment mingled in Leicester Square last night.
And the premiere of Disney’s live action remake of The Little Mermaid was followed by an equally glamorous afterparty inside exclusive celebrity haunt Soho House.
The film’s leading lady Halle Bailey, 23, swapped the white princess gown that dazzled the blue carpet for a demure black minidress as she rubbed shoulders with the likes of James Corden and Stormzy.
But there was one UK star she hit it off with in particular: former Towie stunner Jess Wright.
An insider said: “Jess was the only one who got to meet Halle and they got on like a house on fire. They were throwing shapes on the dance floor and having a blast.”
In between throwing dance moves, guests knocked back champers and mini burgers.
There were tender moments amongst the madness too.
The source continued: “It was so lovely to see Stormzy with his goddaughters. It was a side to him no-one had seen before. He was doting on them and bending right down to speak to them holding their hands to make sure they were OK.
“Tasha Ghouri was unrecognisable in a huge white ball gown and set tongues wagging it won’t be long before she takes the next step with Andrew as they were all over each other.”
Ahead of the UK premiere, Halle credited Beyonce as being her “rock” and for giving her advice on how to handle the racial backlash she received for being the first black actress to play the part of Ariel.
Following the release of the movie trailer last year, the hashtag NotMyAriel circulated on Twitter with people claiming that the fictional mermaid could only be red-haired and white — following the classic 1989 Disney animation.
In an exclusive chat with Biz on Sunday, Halle told us: “I had a private conversation with Beyonce who told me not to read the comments on any social media I post.
“It’s kind of sad — but very good advice for your mental health.
“I started in the industry so young that mental health has always been something I have tried to prioritise.”
The Atlanta-born starlet added: “Initially it was a shock to see the reaction to it — but then it started to bother me less.”
Halle admits having Queen Bey’s support along with other big names left her feeling more confident when it comes to dealing with criticism.
She added: “I had superstars like Beyonce, Zendaya, and Nicki Minaj speaking out for me and how excited they were that I had been cast — that really was the most incredible thing.”
Halle and her sister Chloe caught Bey’s eye when they posted a clip of themselves performing her smash hit Pretty Hurts in 2014 — which had more than 21 million views on YouTube.
The siblings have since signed a million-dollar deal for six albums with Beyonce’s record label, Parkwood Entertainment.
“Beyonce has been an absolute rock for me,” says Halle. “I have been able to go to her for creative advice since I was 15 — how many people can say they have had that?”
And landing the role of Ariel has also boosted her confidence.
She said: “It feels a little cheesy, but Ariel honestly taught me things.
“I’m only 23 so I am still learning, and she taught me to be courageous and to go after what I want.”