Halle Bailey Broke Down Filming 'Part of Your World' During Pandemic: 'I Was Very Emotional' (Exclusive)

"It did feel like I was underwater in a way," the Little Mermaid actress recalls of that difficult time

If Halle Bailey's "Part of Your World" performance is moving to fans who see it when The Little Mermaid hits theaters May 26, there's good reason.

Bringing Princess Ariel's signature scene and ballad to life was a labor of love for Bailey, and it wasn't easy. The actress, 23, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue that she was experiencing some real-life growing pains while working overseas in London and Italy.

"We were filming in the height of the pandemic, and I was suddenly living alone away from everything I knew," says Bailey, who lives in Los Angeles. Her feelings of isolation provided a deeper connection with her character.

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"Part of Your World," she says "took three days to film. There was a lot of physicality and stunt work involved where I would be spinning, going in the air on the wires and there was a lot to think about."

On the deeper side of things, "I was very emotional. I remember I was crying… If you listen to the lyrics, it's such a desperate plea and cry for help. I was able to convey those emotions of feeling alone and underwater in a way."

"I was grateful that I had that experience of feeling that isolation because I was able to play it through Ariel," she says. "I think ultimately it helped my performance."

Now, after years of hard work and preparation, the film is almost out and Bailey is looking forward to some much-needed vacation.

"I'm going to take a few weeks to just woosah because this has been five years of buildup," she says. "It's nice to finally have it be released into the world."

For more on Halle Bailey's life and Little Mermaid transformation, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

The Little Mermaid is in theaters May 26.

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