Who was the first Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’?

The first actress to play the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid was American actress, Jodi Benson. In 1986, she first auditioned for The Little Mermaid 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. Her 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. Benson has voiced several animated films over the years. From 1992 to 2011, she was the official voice of Barbie for Mattel and Pixar. She voiced characters in Toy Story, Dance! Work with Barbie.