Sterling K. Brown Makes Halle Bailey Cry At SAG Awards

Halle Bailey was left in tears after receiving praise from Sterling K. Brown and his wife, Ryan Michelle Bathe, at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Brown, who is known for his roles in 'This Is Us' and 'Black Panther', recently attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where he was recognized for his supporting role in 'American Fiction.'

Bailey was also in attendance, as she was nominated for her part in 'The Color Purple' for best ensemble performance in a film. At one point during the event, the two crossed paths, and they had a very emotional interaction filled with praise and respect.

It all began when Bailey opened up to ET's Nischelle Turner regarding her feelings for the 'This Is Us' star, who was just a few feet away at the time, prompting Turner to interrupt Brown's interview so that the two could meet.

After Turner got Brown's attention, the 'Black Panther' star came over and began gushing over the 'Little Mermaid' actress, leaving Bailey in tears.

"She's lovely," Brown told Bailey, adding, "She represented so well for us. I mean, we were streaming tears at the end of it because you were beautiful. Your soul is beautiful, your talent was radiant. If you had done it and you were bad, nobody would be messing. But you killed it!"

Brown also spoke on Bailey's groundbreaking performance as Ariel in the live-action reimagining of the 1989 Disney classic 'The Little Mermaid,' which was released last year. That is when Brown's wife, Ryan Michelle Bathe, chimed in, also praising the actress.

"No, 'cause you don't understand, I watched that movie every single day from the age of like 12 to 16 and it was such a --," Bathe told Bailey as she tried holding back tears.

It is clear all three individuals have the upmost respect for one another, as the emotional moment has gained attention from many fans.

Halle Bailey made headlines for her role as the Disney princess, receiving praise and support from many fans and other actors. When speaking on her performance, and what it meant for her to portray Ariel as a Black female, she said, "I loved Brandy as Cinderella; she was so amazing, such a role model and inspiration and a really big kind of studying point for me as I was taking on Ariel."

Adding, "I just watched how amazing she was in that role and how comfortable she was in her skin and how impactful to audiences and little girls like me who watched it. And Anika Noni Rose, who's just outstanding. I've had the chance to meet her and we got to sing [The Princess and the Frog's] song together, 'Almost There' for [2022's Disney Family Singalong] with my sister. She was always so kind!"

The 23-year-old then concluded with, "But there are these beautiful Black women pioneers who've done this before and been there for me to be able to say, 'OK, I can do this.'"

Disney's live-action reimagining of 'The Little Mermaid' starring Halle Bailey is currently streaming on Disney+.