What is Jodi Benson doing now?

American actress, Jodi Benson appeared in the news recently after the live-action of The Little Mermaid premiered in the United States. She was the first voice actor of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. 

She first auditioned for The Little Mermaid in 1986, through playwright, Howard Ashman. They had a good relationship because they had worked on Smile together that same year. Therefore, she was a great fit for the role. After hearing the demo for Part of Your World, Benson sang a small part of it on tape which was later sent to Disney executives. She won the role of Ariel and voiced the character for so many years.

Benson’s roles as Ariel in The Little Mermaid film series include; The Little Mermaid (1989), The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning (2008), The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, Enchanted, and more. She also made an appearance in ABC’s 2019 concert performance of The Little Mermaid.