Halle Bailey's recent success has made her "way stronger"

The actress - who previously starred in the TV sitcom 'Grown-ish' - told Variety: "This is a whole new world!

"'Mermaid' was really my first big film, and it was interesting, because going into something that means so much to so many people for my first project was very overwhelming - but overwhelmingly beautiful."

Halle feels she's grown from the experience of making the movie.

She said: "When I wrapped, I felt such freedom and I was so proud of myself.

"I stumbled a bit along the way, but in the end, I came out way stronger."

Halle also stars in 'The Color Purple', the new period drama film based on the Alice Walker novel of the same name.

The actress likened shooting the movie to attending a "family reunion".

Halle - who stars in the film alongside Taraji P Henson, Fantasia and H.E.R. - explained: "Ariel taught me a lot about myself. So coming out of that energy into 'Color Purple' was so beautiful for me, because I felt more comfortable in my skin.

"Then to get to be on an all-black set, where you feel like you're at a family reunion every day, was the best thing ever. And it was a much smaller role, so it was so much easier to be really chilling on set all the time, watching my heroes, like Fantasia and Taraji P. Henson. Just looking and being like, 'How the hell am I here?'"