The decision on the race of the character Ariel in a live action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" would ultimately be up to the filmmakers and casting directors involved in the project.


In the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, the Little Mermaid is described as having a pale complexion and blue eyes, which has led some adaptations to cast actors with fair skin and European features. However, since the story is a work of fiction and not tied to a specific cultural or historical context, the character's race could be portrayed in a variety of ways.


It's worth noting that in the recent live-action adaptation of "Aladdin," the filmmakers chose to cast actors of diverse backgrounds, including Mena Massoud as Aladdin (of Egyptian descent), Naomi Scott as Jasmine (of British and Gujarati Indian descent), and Marwan Kenzari as Jafar (of Tunisian descent). This decision was made to reflect the multicultural nature of the story and create a more inclusive and diverse representation of the characters.


Therefore, it's possible that a live action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" could feature a racially diverse cast, including actors of different ethnicities and backgrounds, to create a more inclusive and representative portrayal of the story.