Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel, became very emotional when her daughter played the role of the Little Mermaid in the Miami production. In 1989, Jodi Benson voiced the character of Ariel and was ready to welcome another princess of the sea.
Delaney Benson’s mother first voiced the beloved Disney princess 34 years ago and now she’s starring in a 90-minute immersive production in Miami and playing the role of the Little Mermaid. Delaney carried on her mother’s legacy and pursued acting and music passionately for several years and attended the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Here, she had the chance to perform in a production of Gypsy alongside her mother. Delaney was in a New York City hotel room with her mother when she received the news of the role of Ariel. It felt like the stars had truly aligned. Jodie, 62, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE at a recent Disney Princess ‘Create Your World’ event at Disneyland in California. She said, “It’s so surreal. That day, she got a call from her agent and she got off the phone and said, ‘Mom, you’ll never believe this.’ And I didn’t even know she auditioned. She says, ‘I’m going to be Ariel this summer. I got an Equity contract. I’m going to live in Miami.’ And I just say, ‘Are you kidding?!’ “
In early summer, Delaney spent her days preparing for her role as Ariel and performed as the famous character for the Aria Stage from July 11 to August 4. Jody Benson recalls bringing young Delaney to Disney events, saying that both Ariel and the spotlight captured her attention. “She would come on stage with me at 3 or 4, grab the mic from the symphony, start singing, and wouldn’t give the mic back,” Jody recalled.
She further noted Delaney’s work on the character and her overall performance. Delaney quickly learned all that she had learned at a young age from both her mother and Disney music legend Howard Ashman. When Jodie saw her daughter as Ariel, she said, “My husband and I cried the whole time. I saw the show nine times, opening weekend and closing weekend. But she made Ariel her own, but obviously, she grew up with the sound. She knows everything that Howard taught me because the song is Howard’s. I’m just copying it. So she knows Howard, she knows everything that Howard taught me, and she does that, but she makes Ariel her own. It was breathtaking and … we were out of ourselves. It was magical.”
Aside from Jodi Benson, there were also many people who were proud of Delaney. Paige O’Hara, the voice of Belle in Beauty and the Beast, shared her thoughts that Delaney had an impressive career with leading performances and praised her. “She’s the real deal. She’ll be a Broadway star. She’s an amazing actress, not just a great singer,” O’Hara, 68, told People
Jodie said that her daughter’s character is the most important thing. Jodie shared, “The most important thing about her is her heart. She is a good person. I love spending time with her. She makes me a better person.” Delaney has successfully pursued her career over the years with great performances and opportunities. Her mother always prioritized who her daughter really is, not what she does.
Also read: Original Ariel voice actor Jodi Benson’s daughter Delaney to play The Little Mermaid in new stage show? What the report says
