Entertainment Movies The Original Disney Princesses Have a Text Chain, Reveals Jodi Benson: 'A Princess Posse' (Exclusive) The 'Little Mermaid' voice actress tells PEOPLE about keeping close with the other O.G. stars of Disney animated classics By Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose Benjamin VanHoose is an Associate Editor on the Movies team at PEOPLE. He has written about entertainment and breaking news for over five years. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 25, 2023 12:17PM EDT Irene Bedard, Kate Higgins, Jennifer Hale, Jodi Benson, Mandy Moore, Sarah Silverman, Ming-Na Wen, Paige O'Hara, Linda Larkin, Auli'i Cravalho and Pamela Ribon in November 2018. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Jodi Benson is in good company. The actress brought Ariel to life in 1989's animated musical The Little Mermaid, and she's remained "connected" with the character ever since. Benson tells PEOPLE she's grateful to be part of Disney's world — and she keeps in touch with her fellow O.G. Disney princess voice actors! "We have a very lovely club, a 'Princess Posse' that I love being part of. I have text messages with my dear fellow princesses, with Paige [O'Hara] and with Linda [Larkin] and Irene [Bedard] and Judy [Kuhn]" she tells PEOPLE, referring to the stars of Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992) and Pocahontas (1995), respectively. "It is fun to be part of this very special club," adds Benson, 61, who also voices Barbie in the Toy Story movies. "And to be able to be one of the traditional princesses is just truly a dream come true. To be moving forward into my 38th year working and loving on Ariel and communicating her heart to people, I absolutely love my job." She continues, "I love going in the studio, and I get to sing my song every single week, almost, onstage with work — and never get tired of singing it. Those are all the beautiful blessings that come with my job." Original Little Mermaid Jodi Benson Says Pat Carroll Would ‘Love’ Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula (Exclusive) Jodi Benson. Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty When Benson found out Disney was making a live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid, she says her confidence in it never wavered. "I've been part of the Disney family for so long, I completely trust our company. I really do," she says. "I had no hesitation that it was going to be breathtaking. And as soon as I heard Rob Marshall was going to be steering the ship, I knew we were in great hands." The performer admits she's "very protective" of Ariel. But, now that she's seen the final film (in which she makes a cameo), she's glad the filmmakers "maintained" the "integrity" of the original classic. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Halle Bailey and Jodi Benson. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty And 23-year-old singer Halle Bailey as the new Ariel? Benson has no notes: "Halle's interpretation of Ariel is absolutely beautiful. I loved everything that she did with the film. I love the acting, I love the singing, and just the pure spirit. Her beautiful love for the character comes through. It's just a beautiful, beautiful performance." Every Actress Who Played a Disney Princess in Live-Action Adaptations "The casting has been done so perfectly with all of the characters. You just have to get to the heart of the character — that's the most important thing," explains Benson. "For each one of these cast members in the live-action, they have done it beautifully, where they have captured the integrity of these characters and the vulnerability, the authenticity. The most important thing is to tell the story, and I believe Rob Marshall has done that successfully with this film. It really is just breathtaking." The Little Mermaid is in theaters Friday.