Part of My World: What I\u2019ve Learned from The Little Mermaid About Love, Faith, and Finding My Voice<\/a>,\u201d said the Ariel gig was supposed to be a \u201cone-and-done job,\u201d which is what makes the film\u2019s ongoing intrigue and popularity more than three decades later so notable. \u201cI am just so incredibly blessed and grateful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\nBenson said Disney\u2019s animation arm was struggling when \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d was released in 1989. She didn\u2019t know at the time that a lot was riding on the film\u2019s success. \u201cWe were not aware of the pressure and everything that was put upon this film and what the expectations were,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d was a rousing sensation; the rest is history.<\/p>\n
Benson said she knew she wanted to pursue musical theater when she was 8 or 9 years old. Her desire to sing, dance, and act came without seeing a Broadway show. \u201cI just had something inside of me that was like, \u2018I want to give this a try and see what happens,\u2019” she said. “I didn’t know if I was any good.”<\/p>\n