Fans defend Kyla Pratt for dressing casually to The Little Mermaid premiere

Kyla Pratt fans have defended The Proud Family star after she was criticised for dressing comfortably at The Little Mermaid premiere.

Earlier this week, the Dr Doolittle star attended the premiere of Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid in Los Angeles, California with her two daughters – Lyric, 12, and Liyah, nine. The 36-year-old actor walked the blue carpet on Monday wearing a rust-coloured two-piece set and nude heels.

As photos circulated online, many people compared Pratt’s laid-back look to some of the other glammed-up celebrities who attended the premiere. Some social media users believed the former child star was too underdressed for the event, while others cracked jokes about the casual outfit.

“Let me stop by this lil premiere on my way home from the store,” tweeted one user, seemingly joking that Pratt looked like she was running errands before stopping by the premiere.

“Mama was around the corner and wanted to stop by,” another person said.

However, many fans took to social media to remind fellow users that Pratt was on mom duty for the event.

“Let’s normalise being comfortable at events,” tweeted one person. “Like?? People dragging her for dressing for comfort, but she looks cute.”

“It’s giving ‘It’s not about me, imma be comfy for this lil movie’ and honestly I stan,” another fan wrote.

A third user tweeted: “Kyla Pratt’s outfit is so mom, and I kinda love it. Even added a heel for a little razzle dazzle.”

Meanwhile on Instagram, the One on One actor shared sweet family photos from The Little Mermaid premiere with her children. “The Little Mermaid World Premiere with my babies. The movie was everything we wished it would be,” she captioned the post.

In the comments, fans couldn’t help but point out the uncanny similarities between Pratt and her two daughters, including one person who said, “Your oldest daughter is your twin. They are so cute!!!”

“Kyla Pratt basically made replicas of herself,” said someone else, while another fan commented: “Thank you for being normal.”

Despite Kyla Pratt’s casual ensemble, many celebrities pulled out all the stops at The Little Mermaid premiere. Singer and actor Halle Bailey, who portrays Ariel in the film, stunned in a “perfect” Ariel-inspired dress as she walked the blue carpet.

The metallic blue Valdrin Sahiti gown featured a shell-shaped structured neckline resembling the Disney princess’s iconic seashell top. She paired the dress with teal eyeshadow, blue nails, and diamond earrings.

As for the star-studded guest list, Migos rapper Offset wore a diamond white suit jacket with black pants and matching black gloves. His daughters – Kalea, eight, and Kulture, five – also channelled Disney princesses in their miniature ball gowns.

“Mermaid premiere with my princesses,” he captioned a sweet post of himself posing with his daughters.

The Little Mermaid, which premieres on 26 May, has already received praise from critics both in-person and on social media. Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the original 1989 animated version, shared her delight with Bailey’s interpretation of the role in a red-carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“[Halle Bailey] doesn’t need any advice from me, she’s brilliant!” she said, praising Bailey’s “purity of heart, vulnerability and bravery” as Ariel. “I’m so thrilled for her, and I’m so proud of her.”

In addition to Bailey, the ensemble cast includes Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.