Disney's First Black Princess

The Princess and the Frog Movie Stars Tiana, a New Orleans Heroine

Jun 1, 2009

Disney's forthcoming movie The Princess and the Frog features its first black heroine, Princess Tiana, rescuing a frog prince amid voodoo and jazz in 1920's New Orleans.

Disney's newest movie, The Princess and the Frog, won't be released until December 2009, but the news is already out there: The heroine of this Disney film, Princess Tiana, is black, and critics and audiences either love or hate what that might mean for Disney.

Disney's First Black Princess, Tiana

The Princess and the Frog is set to make history in more ways than one. The movie will be the first to introduce a Disney princess in over a decade, and also marks a return to the traditional, hand-drawn animation that had made so many Disney movies classics. But what has been drawing attention and criticism to the film has more to do with the skin color of the film's star character than any other considerations.

Following in the footsteps of such icons as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Ariel, and Belle, the first Disney heroine to be other than "fairest of the fair" (and whitest of the white) was Princess Jasmine, the Arabian princess in Aladdin (1992). In 1995, Disney continued this trend with the Native American lead in Pocahontas, and 1998's Chinese heroine Mulan brought the count to three non-white princesses.

Princess Tiana will make four, and will be the first black Disney princess. Pitched as "an American fairy tale," The Princess and the Frog is set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where Tiana will be voiced by actress and singer Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The Starter Wife, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency).

Early Criticism of The Princess and the Frog

Although critics and audiences are mainly delighted at the prospect of the new, black Disney princess, there has been some serious criticism as well. Media releases for The Princess and the Frog already reveal changes to accommodate critical response to the film.

In early press releases, the star character was named Maddy, and was described as a chambermaid – a servant's role that would have been historically accurate for the period but that critics found too close to slavery for comfort. By mid 2007, the name of the movie had been changed (from The Frog Princess) along with the name of the character, and "Tiana" became the daughter of a restaurant owner who hopes to have her own restaurant in the future.

Other criticism has come about with regard to Disney's sensitivity or lack thereof to the locale (New Orleans), the male lead (who is "olive-skinned" rather than black, hails from the fictional country of Maldonia, and is voiced by Brazilian actor Bruno Campos), and the amount of time Tiana spends as a frog (rather than being onscreen for the duration of the movie as a visibly black, human princess).

Is Princess Tiana a Step Forward or Back?

The naysayers are certainly outspoken – but so are those who praise this film as a step forward in Disney's portrayals of non-white women. The timing is especially important, say some, in light of the new roles black and African-American girls can see themselves in thanks to first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters.

Disney has a great deal of social power and its impact on young girls should not be underestimated. Tricia Rose, a professor of popular culture and African American studies at Brown University, told the Washington Post, "If this figure takes off, you're looking at 30 or 40 years of repetition and resonance."

“Finally, here is something that all little girls, especially young black girls, can embrace,” the New York Times quotes Cori Murray of Essence magazine as having said. Oprah Winfrey is acting as a consultant on "racial aspects" of the movie, and Peter Del Vecho, one of the film's producers, told the New York Times, “We feel a great responsibility to get this right. Every artistic decision is being carefully thought out.”

The Princess and the Frog is currently in post-production and is scheduled for release in December, 2009.

Sources

The copyright of the article Disney's First Black Princess in Hollywood Animated Films is owned by Victoria Anisman-Reiner. Permission to republish Disney's First Black Princess in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.