Disney's new 'woke' Little Mermaid to join Jill Biden at Easter Egg Roll

Disney's new 'woke' Little Mermaid is joining President Joe Biden and Jill Biden at the White House on Monday for the annual Easter Egg, where the first lady will keep the focus on education for the second year in a row.

Actress Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the upcoming live-action version of the Disney cartoon classic, is one of the many performers scheduled to be at the event.

The movie, set to be released in May, has proven to be controversial - including changes to song lyrics to reflect cultural shifts and questions about whether Ariel will prove to be enough of a feminist icon. And Bailey, who is black, was subject to racist attacks online when the first images of her as a mermaid appeared.

Disney characters, along with those from PBS, Sesame Street and other childhood favorites - have long been a part of the White House Easter Egg Roll.

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and some bunnies as the 2022 Easter Egg Roll

But Disney is now a part of the political conversation after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is eying a presidential bid, made it a target as part of his war on 'woke' culture. Disney fired back and the dispute will likely make headlines into the next year. 

Jill Biden, a teacher, is trying to keep the focus of Monday's event off politics and on education. 

She's again dubbed her event an 'EGGucational' day, noting in a Twitter post that it will be a day 'where children and their families will learn, explore, and have fun at the White House.'

The traditional activities, including the Easter Egg roll and hunt, will be broken into nine sessions, starting at 7 a.m. ET and ending at 7 p.m. ET. 

In honor of the theme, NASA sent one of the wooden Official White House Easter Eggs up to the International Space Station, where astronauts used it to demonstrate the laws of gravity.

Actress Halle Bailey, who plays the Little Mermaid (above), will be at the Easter Egg Roll

Jill Biden is keeping the focus of the Easter Egg roll on education

Other cartoon characters, celebrities and athletes roaming the White House grounds during the roll will include:

• Cast members from Disney's The Lion King
• Olympic Gold Medalist Dominique Dawes
• Members of the Baltimore Ravens, D.C. United, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders, the Washington Mystics and the Washington Spirit
• Sesame Street's Rosita, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Grover
• Gritty, the orange and hairy mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers
• Characters from Paw Patrol and Sponge Bob Squarepants
• The Nationals' Racing Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt
• The Minions
• Superman and Wonderwoman
• Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
• Astronaut Snoopy and Charlie Brown

On the South Lawn, there will be a variety of stations to teach children about farming, healthier eating, exercise and more. There will be a reading nook, a  talent show, and field trip to a farm for kids to experience.

About 30,000 people are expected to take part in the event, including thousands of military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors, the White House said in a press release. 

Families of the U.S.S. Delaware and U.S.S. Gabrielle Giffords - two Navy ships that Jill Biden sponsors - will be in attendance. 

Tickets for the general public were distributed through an online lottery.

This year's commemorative White House Easter Egg - one of which NASA sent into space

The American Egg Board will donating about 30,000 eggs for the traditional egg race, where children use wooden spoons to roll the eggs in a race across the South Lawn. 

The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878. It was canceled the first year of the Biden administration due to the COVID pandemic.