A great actor is able to portray many different characters on screen that changes from film to film. At times some actors naturally play roles so great that you can’t see the actors past that performance.
Chloe Bailey, most known for her rise to stardom alongside her twin sister Halle Bailey performing covers on Youtube under the name Chloe x Halle, has been cast for many roles ranging from guest appearances on Disney television shows to black family movie comedies. Her performances have led her to her shocking new role as Marissa on the Amazon Prime original series “Swarm.”
Swarm is a limited television series that intentionally takes inspiration from real-life figures and events that follow a crazed fan turned killer. However, the scene that set everyone’s timeline ablaze was Bailey’s steamy sex scene with co-star Damson Idris, who plays Kalid, which seemed too hot to handle for most.
Orion Phipps, a third-year pre-medical scholar said, “It caught me way off guard because I just wasn’t expecting that from someone who used to do kid-friendly content. I just never saw her doing something like that.”
The scene followed the main character Dre, played by actress Dominique Fishback, walking through a house curiously being drawn to noises made from a room towards the back of the house. Upon investigating these noises she discovered that it was Marissa and Khalid having a very intimate time with each other. This scene went on for several minutes and showed a lot of skin.
The scene may have exemplified Bailey’s acting prowess, however, some fans and viewers felt that this was too much for the adorable rising star that they once remembered as one-half of Chloe x Halle. This one scene has prompted questions about the potential future of Bailey’s career speculating that this could be harmful to her image while others believe it will help her with more diverse roles.
“[Viewers] are always trying to box people in and confine them to certain roles and lifestyles. She used the Chloe x Halle as a way to get her career started,” said Thomas Dow II, a graduate student at Florida A&M University. “She’s been doing more mature roles on shows such as “Grown-ish”, this is just her first public sex scene.”
When thinking about Chloe Bailey it’s difficult to not think about her sister Halle Bailey, the other half of Chloe x Halle that took the world by storm and is also making her way in the film industry. Halle is currently the new face of Disney’s Little Mermaid which is a live-action remake of the animated children’s movie set to premiere in two months. Because both sisters’ careers are concurrent with one another, some feel as though Chloe’s shocking scene could affect her sister’s role in the new Disney movie as well.
“Chloe’s career has nothing to do with Halle’s career at this point. You have to understand these are two different people,” said Monique Brown, a third-year psychology scholar. “They’re separating as far as the things they want to do in their careers.”
Chloe’s scene in the new show Swarm shows that she isn’t afraid to venture off into creative new roles and that she does in fact have the talent to do it, however, this situation alone serves as a testament to when viewers should separate the art from the artist.