“The Princess and the Frog” (2009) is a Disney film, the first ever with a black princess. That is the good news. The bad news is she does not get a black prince and, in fact, spends much of the film as a frog! It comes out in time for Christmas.
Disney makes about $4 billion a year from its princesses. There have been eight so far:
- 1937: Snow White, white
- 1950: Cinderella, white
- 1959: Sleeping Beauty, white
- 1989: Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”, white
- 1991: Belle of “Beauty and the Beast”, white
- 1992: Jasmine in “Aladdin”, Middle Eastern
- 1995: Pocahontas, American Indian
- 1998: Mulan, East Asian
In 2008 Angelina Jolie, who has a daughter from Ethiopia, said, “There still isn’t a Disney princess that’s African and it’s very difficult because our daughter’s getting into princesses right now and it upsets me.” Now she will have one – a black princess at least, if not an African one.
Not because Angelina Jolie wants one and not even because America now has black first daughters. This film has been in the making since the middle 2000s.
It takes place in the French Quarter of New Orleans in the 1920s during the jazz age. The princess kisses the frog but instead of him becoming a prince like in the fairy tale, she becomes a frog! To get changed back they have to go through bayou country to find Mama Odie, a good voodoo priestess. They are, of course, guided by a firefly and an alligator who plays jazz.
The princess at first was going to be a maid named Maddy who worked for a rich white woman. That seemed too close to the whole Mammy stereotype, so her name was changed to Tiana and she became a businesswoman instead – even though Cinderella and Snow White were both maids.
The voice of the prince is played by the Brazilian actor, Bruno Campos (Dr Quentin Costa in “Nip/Tuck”). Both Campos and the prince look white and sound Brazilian. Disney says the prince has an olive cast to his skin.
It should come as no surprise: When Brandy played Cinderella in 1997 she did not get a black prince either: her prince was Filipino.
Disney has not said why, but I think it goes something like this: they wanted a black princess, but to keep it from becoming a “black” film they needed a white male lead. Yet since it is a love story where they have to kiss, the male lead cannot be white American but something as close to it as possible, like Latin American, Middle Eastern or even Asian. You see the same sort of casting decision in other films.
The leading black male character, by the way, is an evil voodoo magician.
The voice of Tiana is played by Anika Noni Rose, best known for being that other girl in “Dreamgirls” (2006). Alicia Keys wanted the part. Jennifer Hudson and Tyra Banks were also considered.
Tiana’s parents are played by Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard. The good voodoo priestess is played by Jenifer Lewis.
See also:
- The Mammy stereotype
- Will Smith; America is not a racist nation – it has something about who black people can kiss in Hollywood films.
Anika Noni Rose voices the Princess, right?
So, Aba, in your opinion, Latin American, Middle Eastern and East Asian are seen as closer or more on par with white?
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2. mynameismyname Says:
So, Aba, in your opinion, Latin American, Middle Eastern and East Asian are seen as closer or more on par with white?
what the hell is with your obsession with opression olympics?
Latin American – because it’s so damn great to be thought of as illegal immigrants all the time?
Middle Eastern – because it’s so damn great to be thought of as terrorists?
East Asian – because it’s so damn great to be seen as a perpetual foreigner?
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i feel bitter/sweet about this film, why does she have to be a frog for most of the film? none of the other princesses were ever frogs or anything other than beautiful women. but ofcourse we know how it goes…
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Mynameismyname said:
Anika Noni Rose voices the Princess, right?
So, Aba, in your opinion, Latin American, Middle Eastern and East Asian are seen as closer or more on par with white?
Right, Anika Noni Rose is the princess.
For Latin Americans and Middle Easterners it depends on how assimliated they are and how dark they look. For some the only difference is not physical but just cultural. Like with Bruno Campos himself (the voice of the prince).
As for East Asians, like Therese noted, they are stereotyped as the perpetual foreigner. Thus the insulting question, “Where are you really from?” Outside of maybe sports, they are rarely seen as “all-American” even though they are just as all-American as anyone else – unless, that is, you buy into a racist, Buchananesque view of America.
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Lynette: thanks for catching my mistake! Yes, she does NOT get a black prince.
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She’s a frog for most of the film? Fail. Seriously.
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They make a really cute couple lol. As a woman of African immigrant parentage, I don’t regard the prince not being black as bad news in the least. Whatever the motivations of Disney and the producers, it’s refreshing to see a beautiful girl of African descent being courted by her Prince Charming. The belief that romantic love should be pursued within designated “racial” or ethnic lines has been a long-held tenet of white supremacism, enforced by oppressive laws and socially sanctioned lethal violence. That it continues to hold sway among those who have suffered under this same white supremacism strikes me as bitterly ironic. It’s amazing, and not in a good way, to think that this is still a source of preoccupation or concern nearly ten years into the 21st century. And if that hottie of a prince rings my doorbell, I am so answering (and yes, I know he’s just a cartoon figure).
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I’m happy that Anika Noni Rose is making moves. I’m always happy when a talent of color makes waves in Hollywood. It’s hard for anyone to “make it” let alone a black female.
Well, Latin Americans and Middle Easterners can be white. So, you’re right, it may be more of a issue of culture than one of physical appearance that seperates them from white Americans.
Also, to an above poster, Aba typed that the Princess spends “much” of the time in the film as a frog. Not “most”.
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I have not seen it – it does not come out till December – so I do not know if it is most. I would be willing to bet that she is human only for the first 20 minutes and the last 10, give or take 5 minutes. So even if it is just 90 minutes long, she would still be a frog through two-thirds of it.
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Abagond, I’d also like to point out your use of 1995: Pocahontas, American Indian to be quite out dated.
I think it would be more suitable to identify her as an Indigenous North American as Indian really means people from the country called India…
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What about “Native American”? That is the term I mostly use.
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yeah, that’s fine too I believe, they are American and also the first peoples there – but not Indian, it just seems like an archaic mislabel and since we know that America is not India nowadays, terminology should also reflect this.
although Native does sound a bit old-fashioned, I do prefer Indigenous myself but I don’t know too much at this point to make anymore suggestions.
I personally also add North American, as you are specifically talking about Indigenous peoples of the USA even though North would also include Canada… there are also Indigenous peoples in South Americas who are quite distinct from those of the North… but I think that’s just me to be honest, the term “American” usually does mean person of the USA even though technically anyone from the American continents are also “Americans”
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The casting and storyline of this film just reeks of focus group data distilled in a corporate boardroom. That should come as no surprise, I guess, because that has been the Disney model for decades.
Unfortunately, since I have a young daughter who loves Disney princess movies I’ll probably see this joynt at least a dozen times. That’s the sad fate of being a parent nowadays: being subjected to repeated viewings of entertainment dreck at high volumes. “Transformers” is just awful, so bad that even that one scene with Megan Fox leaning into the engine compartment can’t redeem it, nor can the cool explosions. I’ve probably seen it ten times. My skin now crawls when I see one of those Anne Hathaway films (which is too bad, because Anne Hathaway seems like a decent enough person), or that figure skating one with Michelle Trachtenberg. I’ve also seen “Life Size” at least a quadrillion times, though that movie has such a weirdo premise that it’s almost bearable, plus there is that one scene where the dad and Tyra almost get they freak on in the pool house, sort of gets one’s imagination flowing up and down Tyra’s terra firma, which is a good thing.
But I digress. What the buzz about this new movie highlights is the way in which identity has become political in the US. This is timely in light of the Sotomayor SCOTUS nomination. To those on the right who decry the nomination as “identity politics,” I say, “So what?” Identity is political in the US. Identity would be political in this nomination even if Obama had nominated a white male.
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My apologies. “Much” doesn’t immediately mean “most”, but spending ‘much’ of the film as a frog doesn’t sit well with me. Maybe I’m just being nit-picky. I wasn’t happy when I heard that they were producing a live-action version of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender”, and that was long before the whitewashing uproar. I’m still hoping The Princess and The Frog will still pacify me somewhat.
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That would suck if she is a frog for most of it.
@ Blanc2:
LOL: I too had to sit through “Transformers” (thus my post on Megan Fox) and “Life Size” (I already knew about Tyra).
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it’s no surprise to me that the prince is not black, because black romance don’t sell (sarcasm) as for cinderella that didn’t bother me because that was more like a play where race didn’t matter you had a white king black queen and fillipino prince.
The fact that she is a frog in most part of it too its like “shes black but not really because you won’t see her blackness because she’s green!” I mean it’s great that little black girls have a princess but subconciously are they going to be looking for a white prince in shining armour? I mean Mulan got a chinese guy what can’t Tiana have someone from her own race Mulan was same race relation and it sold why can’t black people sell because it won’t appeal to white audiences this is some kind of bull and very complex
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I don’t see anything wrong with Princess Tiana’s love interest being a NON-BM. After all, most mainstream movies today seldom pair BM with BW (but make a point of ONLY casting NON-BW with BM) and I don’t see a groundswell of protest against that.
I think it’s important for Black girls to learn early in life that they are not OBLIGATED to ONLY be in relationships with BM.
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I don’t see anything wrong with Princess Tiana’s love interest being a NON-BM. After all, most mainstream movies today seldom pair BM with BW (but make a point of ONLY casting NON-BW with BM) and I don’t see a groundswell of protest against that.
I see your point laromana and agree. I just think that it is fishy that the black princess can’t have black prince. Every other person of color had a same race prince or lover,but the black princess can’t? Do they want the prince to be non-black so other girls can like him? So they not want other girls to like black guys too soon? lmao. I don’t know something about this Disney movie is fishy but I will see what the final turn out is. It’s just something about black people that people can’t give us the full advantages lol. I don’t buy that whole “black films don’t sell” when people get so into a story their race becomes more irrelevant to the story unless you make the story surrounded by a racial theme.
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Every other person of color had a same race prince or lover,but the black princess can’t?
FWIW, Disney’s Native American Pocahontas had a white guy as a lover.
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FWIW, Disney’s Native American Pocahontas had a white guy as a lover.
Yeah but Pocahontas was is a non-fictional character and she did have a relationship with a white man so that was understandable. This “The Princess and the Frog” movie is a fictional story with a non-black romance.
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Disney has always given its princesses same-race suitors unless there was a sound reason not to – like with Pocahontas. So when they fail to do it in this case I think it sends a message, intended or not, that there is something wrong with black men – especially when the leading black male character is evil.
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i’m sure most black men won’t care that the prince isn’t black, afterall its going to be mostly young girls going to see it anyway
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Well, it’s sad to see that the one movie Disney could show black girls that their future relationships with black boys would not necessarily be a failure, as they will see in media, they disapointed black comunity. Because all other princesses (except Pocahontas) paired boys with same race as them, then why should a black princess be an exception?
Plus the story of the two other non-white(Mulan and Yasmin)princesses were inpired by their true origins. What I mean is they should pick a story of an african princess, analogously to the other two, even though african-americans became part of the history of USA much earlier and much significantly than the other two princesses ethnicities/racial groups.
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disney is bullcrap!!!!!!
Non white main characters can sell look at slumdog millionaire, not a single causasian in it!!! runaway sucess we should pull up the money men when they use that excuse.
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@Lynette:
Are you serious when you stated this:
The problem I have with this movie is that it seems as though Disney does not see Black little boys as Prince worthy. When will they get a chance to shine?
I’m sorry but black males ALWAYS shine. As a metter of fact, most movies ALWAYS cast BM along side anyone that is not black.
If anything, black women haven’t had a chance to shine.
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Harmony,
I totally agree with you. It’s not the current image of BM in the media we need to worry about but the often limiting, negative image of BW.
It’s important that everyone comes to accept the portrayal of BW as normal WOMEN who can be loved in the context of serious relationships by men of ANY RACE.
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I agree 100%, Lynette.
Yet, you can’t please everyone. Black folks will always find fault with any media presentation that features blacks in some way.
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There are positive black male images but it’s all a matter of what the people WANT to see.
For example, if one would rather watch a Tyler Perry flick over Spike Lee’s “Miracle At St. Anna” or “American Violet”, that’s their choice. But they can’t say that the options weren’t there.
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Danni – I would love to have a disney story about an african princess…
Abagond – that could be a post – a historical african princess story…do you have any?
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Dedabets – I’d love to see an animated film about an African princess (in 2D, please!), but I’m wary about Disney taking that project. I’ll see how TPATF grabs me first.
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Dedabets: I do have an African princess story on this blog, a true one, but it is not a love story though a song in Brazil was written about it:
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The lead character in most Hollywood films is male, so there are more films that feature a black male lead than a female one. That is why there is no black woman with the star power of Denzel or Will Smith.
The writers, directors and producers are mostly men, so they prefer stories where the main character is a man.
I used to think that Hollywood was uncomfortable with black love – and a strong argument can be made for that – but I think it is way simpler than that: a love story with two black leads, like “Love Jones”, becomes a “black” film and cuts the audience by 75%.
In the case of the Disney princess films, however, I think it would not have mattered. Every white girl would have gone out to see it anyway and probably not care or even notice that the prince was black, especially if it was set in Africa. “Mulan”, after all, was hardly an “Asian” film, just a story set in Asia.
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” ‘Mulan’, after all, was hardly an ‘Asian’ film, just a story set in Asia.”
That’s true but yet the story was based on an asian one, and the main couple were asians.
I mean what’s wrong with this society?! Is it that bad being black? I’m moving to Mars, they can be totaly racist there because to them I would be an real alien…
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None of you are really getting the truth of the story. She’s not a real princess, she’s a chef out to prove herself, born and raised in her beloved New Orleans. It’s only by chance she’s mistaken for a princess by the Prince, the reason she becomes a frog (but she does become a Princess, just like Cinderella, once she’s married). And he’s a music-loving Prince, journeying North to escape his life and join the new jazz revolution. He’s hiding from his life, and she’s jumping headfirst into it, part of why they’re good for each other). Sorry, but you can’t find a black Prince in South America (and how many black princes of Africa do you know from that time period, who ALSO listened to jazz music? just wouldn’t make sense and then you’d all still be pissed about the inacurracies)! Disney was working on bringing more fairy tales to the big screen, and decided that instead of rehashing the original Frog Prince, they’d liven it up. And no place has more amazing musical history or beauty as New Orleans (a style of music Disney hasn’t yet chosen to focus a movie on, and they like trying new things). And if you’re going to do a tale set in an era where jazz and blues are being formed by the black population, there was no question that the hero would be black. So everyone’s ready to state that Disney is intentionally adding a black princess and non-black prince. I don’t think it’s that, I think it’s the result of the decisions in the plot. I’m sure they didn’t say “we need an American Indian” and added Pocohantas, or “we need a middle eastern princess” and so added Jasmine. It’s all about making a plot flow logically (hence, next year’s Rapunzel will be white, not Chinese where the story didn’t originate from). I personally think the story will be beautiful and can’t wait to see it.
And just a side note, The Lion King is the ultimate story of a great African prince (yes I know he’s an animal, and not black), and no other story or character would honor the beauty, traditions and stories of Africa better. And to everyone who’s mad about not having a black Prince: give Disney time, and keep faith in the new head of Disney animation: John Lasseter. He’s never led Pixar astray and has made major strides in rennovating the Disney studios. This next decade will surely be another wonderful decade of Disney’s animated musicals.
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I think it’s kinda messed up that she doesn’t have a black prince and I’m a BW dating a WM. You didn’t see a single WHITE Disney princess with anyone without either blond hair, blue eyes, or both. I would personally lay a golden egg if Disney ever made a movie in the next 50 years in which a black guy gets a white girl (they wouldn’t even have to be royalty!). I’m still going to go see it the day it comes out, but I think for their first try, Disney should’ve stuck to the more rigid race standards their white princesses are held to (Lord knows they had to change everything else when the NAACP got wind of it! From her job to her name to her hairstyle…)
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who cares if shes a frog most of the movie? that doesnt mean it will turn out badly
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Is it just me or does it seem that no matter what disney did someone was gonna be upset. It’s nearly impossible to make everyone happy and I think we should just enjoy the movie and not pick it apart and complain. It looks like it will be a rocking movie reguardless of whether the skin tones are olive, white, black, or in this case green. 😛
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they got princess tiana costumes already and the film aint out yet…
http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/disneys-princess-the-frog-tiana-classic-child-costume/
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disney doesn’t play…
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The prince does not look white or black and the princess does not look white or black. I am surprised Disney can advertise the film having a black princess. Most of the time she looks more white than black then the other parts she is a frog.
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The prince is perhaps white according to our government’s racial categories, but there aren’t very many people of Latin decent that would call themselves white. The prince, for all cultural purposes, is not white. Personally, I think it’s refreshing to see Disney embracing an interracial couple.
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mynameismyname Says:
Mon 1 Jun 2009 at 21:11:00
I agree 100%, Lynette.
Yet, you can’t please everyone. Black folks will always find fault with any media presentation that features blacks in some way.”
Yes they will complain as long as white people keep creating racist movies with the same tired stereotypes.
If everything was so heaven-like noone would be complaining.
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I thought this was a well thought out article that was worth sharing, though I don’t agree with everything. In response to Borlanina, white people have also had complaints. I got the quote below from
http://loveisntenough.com/2009/05/15/the-princess-and-the-frog-and-the-critical-gaze/
“they fail to note how Ariel was the headstrong response to white complaints about obedient Cinderella and Belle was the feminist response to white criticism about willing-to-give-up-her-voice-for-a-man Ariel. Whites have made countless demands about their heroines, and Disney has altered their creations in response to those demands.”
-Shannon Prince
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Alma Says:
Thu 3 Dec 2009 at 07:51:03
I thought this was a well thought out article that was worth sharing, though I don’t agree with everything. In response to Borlanina, white people have also had complaints. I got the quote below from
http://loveisntenough.com/2009/05/15/the-princess-and-the-frog-and-the-critical-gaze/
“they fail to note how Ariel was the headstrong response to white complaints about obedient Cinderella and Belle was the feminist response to white criticism about willing-to-give-up-her-voice-for-a-man Ariel. Whites have made countless demands about their heroines, and Disney has altered their creations in response to those demands.”
-Shannon Prince”
DUH. White people complain and they are listened to seriously and respected like ALWAYS. When whites complain they get every wish granted.
When black people complain we are not listened to or taken seriously just because we are black.
You don’t have to tell me whites get catered to all the time, i already know.
And whites never had to complain and hope for a white princess like blacks did, so that comment is silly.
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I made the comment to illustrate the fact that everyone complains, and will always have a reason to. When stereotypes are adhered to there are complaints that such perpetuation of them is hurtful. When the stories stray too far away from stereotypes there are complaints that certain aspects of the grass root’s culture is lost.
As for being “catered”, I’m not convinced that Disney caters to ANYONE but their own pocket books. Disney changed certain things about the movie in response to complaints and concerns. For example, her name and job. These changes, though definitely better alternatives to what was originally written, were probably done to prevent any serious lash outs (which would have undoubtedly translated to lower ticket revenues.)
Just some thoughts…hopefully shared better the second time around.
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I love that she wants to/becomes a businesswoman for a rare change! Instead of waiting to be rescued by a man- its not fair/right to teach this to little girls or little boys. Definitely need some new fairy tales for this generation! Its a start.
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God – you all sound like idiots.
No matter how great you think the story may be, the fact that it’s being carefully crafted to be as politically correct and representative as possible means that it’s no longer a “story.” It’s a lesson; a tool; it’s a didactic device. It’s no better than a propaganda film– even if the creators’ had good and wholesome intentions. The choice of characters (including their color) should coincide with and serve to enhance the meaning of the FICTIONAL story, and the author’s original intent…not the lesson or political agenda you’re trying to put forth. This movie, by its very nature and from its very inception, is garbage. And it’s careful walking on egg shells in order to please this racial group or that racial group totally strips it of its artistic merit.
Alright, heathens. Now you can commence telling me what a bigot I am.
Oh, and “white” Americans represent a whole lot of different origins. For example – my mom is English and my mother is German and French. I don’t concern myself with saying that I’m a “English/Germo/Franco American.” I’m just an American. My family has been here since 1761. No that’s not a typo.
White Europeans settled this country. And they were mostly Christian. And yes, the “Indians” were here first, and we’re a terrible terrible bunch for destroying their peaceful ways and taking over their land. That’s history. That’s conquering. That’s what’s been happening and what will continue to happen for thousands of years. Here’s some food for thought: The Indians would have gladly sailed over to Europe and taken over; the only reason they didn’t is because they didn’t have the technology and didn’t know how.
Ok, sorry. NOW you can commence tearing me apart.
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not worth it. everyone is entitled to their say round here. 🙂
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True, Mulan is East Asian in a general way. But specificallly, she is Chinese. Like Zulu, Watutsi, Nigerian, Ethiopian would be the specific – and African the general.
I know, identification by race/nationality is tricky because it’s not one and the same.
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I haven’t seen the film, but I read a lot about it. However, I don’t buy “non-black” prince controversy. Here’s why.
Tiana is an African American, but the story isn’t African or American. I believe they didn’t intend to make princess black right from the start; the decision was made early in the production, but not right from the start. They had the story first.
Tiana is a strong woman and a great role model for girls (as much as any animated person can be a role model). However, you can’t say the same thing about the prince.
He is… Well, he seems like an interesting character, he is charming and I am sure he becomes a great man at the end of the film… but only at the end of the film!
(spoilers ahead)
Prince is a womanizer and not-quite-moral person. He is lazy. He doesn’t like to work. His parents left him without money because they were ashamed of him. Prince is a golddigger who wants to marry a rich woman in order to get money!
Of course he changes when he meets Tiana. But still, think about it. Would you like to watch a black man who is lazy, hates work, and wants to seduce (white) rich women in order to get money? Do you think it would work?
You see, when they decided to make princess black, it was okay because princess was supposed to be a strong, working, intelligent young woman. Making prince black was a bit harder. They didn’t want to change his character because it’s, in a way, central to the story. But by making him a black man (in fact, the first black prince), they would send a very bad message (at least some people would consider it disrespectful).
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“The voice of the prince is played by the Brazilian actor, Bruno Campos (Dr Quentin Costa in “Nip/Tuck”). Both Campos and the prince look white and sound Brazilian. Disney says the prince has an olive cast to his skin.
It should come as no surprise: When Brandy played Cinderella in 1997 she did not get a black prince either: her prince was Filipino.
Disney has not said why, but I think it goes something like this: they wanted a black princess, but to keep it from becoming a “black” film they needed a white male lead. Yet since it is a love story where they have to kiss, the male lead cannot be white American but something as close to it as possible, like Latin American, Middle Eastern or even Asian. You see the same sort of casting decision in other films.”
LOL!
Once again, Brazilians get to be the Universal Donors of the race-conscious sexual-affective universe. I’m beginning to think it’s our role to play the designated love interest of the early 21st century.
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Yet since it is a love story where they have to kiss, the male lead cannot be white American
Why?
Also, prince Naveen might be voiced by a Brazilian actor, but he isn’t Brazilian. They wanted him to be “racially ambiguous”; poor Naveen doesn’t have a race. Yes, they even proudly confirmed this.
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Brazilian = racially ambiguous, Mira.
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I understand both points here, but they are a lovely couple! Beautiful people who look great together. That’s what much of the movie industry is about. Mira is right about Disney not being able to have a black prince due to the story line of the lazy son who wants to marry money. I haven’t see the movie yet, but the movie trailers look great. I plan to see it this weekend. The evil Naveen seems like a fun character. When will Disney have a fat, ugly princess? Probably never.
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Brazilian = racially ambiguous, Mira.
I know that. However, it’s not like only Brazilians are racially ambiguous, aren’t they? That’s why Naveen isn’t really Brazilian, he’s from, you know, Maldonia.
But I love your comment about Universal Donors!
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Now I read my previous comment and it looks a bit disrespectful, like I dislike Brazilians. I don’t. No way! Bruno Campos isn’t really my type, but the female in me likes Brazilian men.
Actually, Naveen is the most handsome Disney character, ever (as much as any animated character can be handsome). When I first saw him, I thought he was mixed (in a way that his parents are interracial couple). I don’t think that’s the case and location of Maldonia remains mystery!
@ tinkerbellchime
I don’t think they’ll ever make fat princess. However, I dislike the whole fat = ugly thing.
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You’re right, Mira. Fat doesn’t equal ugly. I think Disney will have a chubby and pretty princess someday. Kind of like Mrs. Piggy, whom I adore. I still haven’t seen Princess and the Frog yet, but it’s on my list of things to do. The previews look great. I live near Disneyland and I love everything Disney. The world’s all good when I hear their fireworks go off in the evening.
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The comment about “universal donors” isn’t mine, Mira, but my wife Ana Paula’s.
Her comment is that “Brazilians are white enough to be acceptable to white gringos and black enough to be acceptable to black gringos. All we have to do is spin our family history one way or the other, according to the person in question’s prejudices”.
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@ Thaddeus Blanchette
Her comment is that “Brazilians are white enough to be acceptable to white gringos and black enough to be acceptable to black gringos. All we have to do is spin our family history one way or the other, according to the person in question’s prejudices”.
I understood the “universal donor” comment. I guess Brazil has such an image, you know, of a place where people are mixed. I guess all races find that mix to be acceptable, more or less. Though I wouldn’t say foreigners have a clue what Brazil is like, or its people. (I’d love to visit Brazil, btw).
Still, I don’t see prince Naveen as a Brazilian. His country, Maldonia, is located somewhere in the Mediterranean.
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you can’t do anything in the world without offending someone.. can it just be a beautiful movie without the ignorance?
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Well, another way of saying all of this is “person of undefined ethnicity”.
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Yes, Naveen is a person of undefined ethnicity. I wonder, however, why they chose Brazilian actor to voice him. Nothing against Bruno Campos, but perhaps it was just another way to prove Naveen is as “undefined” when it comes to race as possible (because Brazilians are often seen as mixed, or both white and non-white?)
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Also, the Brazilian accent in English is generally valenced as “sexy” and “foreign” without being recognizable.
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True. Very true!
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I think more important is that they wanted him to be non-white AND non-black. Seriously, it’s 2009, what the hell is wrong with people. I don’t even think I can blame Disney, they are only a reflection of the public consciousness on race. Disney is not exactly known for pushing the envelopment on social matters. Disney by definition means playing it safe. That’s why people go to them. It’s their job to be non-controversial and not provoke questions or offend society’s social sensibilities on controversial matters. So I’m not going to hate on Disney so much, they are just hamstrung by their own self-imposed limits of making movies that are guaranteed to never be provocative.
So they wont cast a black prince because it will make it a “black film”? Same reason Hollywood cast Eva Mendez instead of a black woman to be Will Smith’s girlfriend in the movie Hitch. So that begs the question, what the hell is wrong with white people seeing a film staring 2 black actors? Why is it that a film seeing 2 white actors is just a film, but 2 black actors becomes a “black film”. This kind of sh*t is just invisible to white people and drives black folks crazy. I mean we see “their” films all the time, just like we vote for “their” presidential candidates all the time. As if they can’t relate to characters on the screen that happen to be black, even though things like romance, loss, humor and such are universal. It’s interesting, I’m going off on a tangent here, but it’s got me thinking. On one hand, whites can be some of the most adventurous people there are, climbing everest, bungee jumping, surfing, shark diving and god knows what else, yet when it comes to something like just going to see a film with black people starring in it, it is just too out of their comfort zone. The duality is something to behold.
I know some here are thinking that it’s great because it’s an interracial romance story. I don’t think it’s quite that. It’s a black woman with as race-neutral without being black a character as they could come up with. Like I said, Disney is about playing it safe, it’s their job. I doubt Disney would even do a film about a black prince who gets a near-white skinned female. That would push white folks just too much out of the comfort zone. I bet had Obama been married to a white woman, he’d still be a senator in Illinois.
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It would be more accurate if they would have made the prince black and the villain a white man. Thats the way it is in real life.
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The only thing that concerns me about the movie is that the villain is a black man. If the prince is white, why can’t the villian be white as well. Little black boys who watch this movie might get the impression that there is something wrong with being a black male. Otherwise, I really don’t have a problem with the movie.
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Actually, there are two villains. One of them is white.
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Then both villians should have been white.
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Because all villians are white, Leaveum…?
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Not all villains are white and not all whites are villains. It is not a crime for a white person to portray a villain. They are human and have faults just like everyone else. So they are capable of being villains just like everyone else.The portral of villains should be equal of all races. It is unfair for black young boys and young black men to always see themselves being portrayed as the villain.
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This is true. However, the film itself lacks any historical accuracy (for example, Tiana’s best friend is a rich white girl… Do you really think that’s realistic?)
There are positive black men in the film, like Tiana’s father, but I agree, there isn’t a good role model for a young black boy (or any boy) in this film.
However, I agree with their choice of a non-black prince. Like I said, Naveen isn’t a positive role model for anyone. He wants to marry money and seeks for rich women. In fact, he wants to marry Tiana’s best friend (rich white girl). Imagine a black prince doing that! It would be completely disrespectful.
To be honest, as much as I hate standard black villains, I hate tokenism and perfect, yet, unimportant black characters. I’d love to see a story with a smart antagonist who is a strong character, and who happens to be black. There are great white antagonists, but I can’t think of any black ones.
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@ Mira
I have not seen the movie yet. Based on your comments Disney failed.
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Disney failed a big time when it comes to historical accuracy. However, that’s something they always do. Remember Aladdin, Pocahontas, Mulan, etc? All of those films were painfully inaccurate, but people didn’t pay that much attention (except for Pocahontas). Even “Beauty and the Beast”, one of their best movies, was full of stereotypes about French people.
On the other hand, when it comes to characters, “Princess and the Frog” doesn’t seem as bad. I don’t know about minor characters, but Tiana is a strong, intelligent woman, and a great role model for young girls. Unlike previous princesses, she is an independent young woman who doesn’t need a prince to rescue her. So that’s a positive thing.
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And get an education on voudoou before you talk about the religion, exu/elegba are two different people.
Not in canomblé, cousin. And you know exactly zero about my faith, don’t you?
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You don’t practice the faith and you are not intitated in voudou, so don’t come on here acting like my teacher.
Cousin, the only person who’s acting like superior here is you. I have not told you a damned thing about how to live your life or your faith, have I?
Again, if you want to walk through the world with a chip on your shoulder, be my guest.
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The villain in the story is modeled after Baron Samedi, Baron wears a black suit and a top hat and he appears as an african man with skeletal features.
He wears dark glasses and smokes cigars.
Hmmm. It’s worse than I thought.
Guess I won’t be taking Mayara to see this film.
Btw, that’s always one thing that has bothered me about this film, as long as we are on stereotypes. Disney’s supposed to be doing good because they’ve now given us a black princess, right?
But seriously: do any parents out there want their little girls idolizing princesses, whatever their color might be? I mean, haven’t people thought through what “princess” really means?
Whites also made fun of Baron in other movies,
such as a James Bond film.
Well, damn. And here I thought the James Bond franchise was otherwise so uplifitng and educational about the world and the peoples who live in it…
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As racist as Disney happens to be, and has been from the start, those of us with our eyes open expected nothing less. At the same time this speaks volumes to our children. As with Brandy as Cinderella she could not have a Black man as her Prince Charming, just as this latest Princess movie leaves out the Black man. Disney has gone as far as to display interracial marriages, but always it is the White man with the Black woman, or Asian, or Latin. If you cannot see a pattern here, then I would like to know what planet you have been living on in the last 20 or so years.
For that matter it is not just Disney, lately it seems that for a Black woman to be in a mainstream Hollyweird production, she must have a White guy as a love interest. If this does not say “racism,” I do not know what does.
Back to Disney, we see only Latinos who look as if they are White, and only Asian women. For a company built on family, I see only negatives. Remember though, these expressions are aimed at our children, and that is a crime in itself. I do not care much for the Disney channel, nor ABC Family, for the negative way in which all people of color are shown.
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But seriously: do any parents out there want their little girls idolizing princesses, whatever their color might be? I mean, haven’t people thought through what “princess” really means?
I agree. Historically, ‘princesses’ were used to cement alliances. The princess would be sent to some unknown country, maybe couldn’t read nor speak the language, was expected to produce heirs for her husband(many died in childbirth). Most were treated as pawns on a chess board. The princess may have even despised her future husband on sight. The princess for lack of a better description, was bartered and married off to the best candidate for either political gain, financial gain, or for land. Very few of these princesses had any autonomy even though there were some who were able to surmount the odds. Nope, I would be more apt to have a girl child idolize Amazons or warrior Queens, or other similarly accomplished women. How about just letting them grow as human beings without cutesy monikers? As for Disney, I saw only one movie that I liked as a kid and that was ‘Bambi'(yes I cried when his mother died). I have not knowingly seen a Disney movie since given what I know of Walt Disney. I would rather a kid read comics than watch Disney movies. Children need to read more books, not watch garbage on TV or at the movies.
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I’m not usually someone who harps on racial politics, but how in the hell do you figure that Asians, Latin Americans and Middle Easterners are close to White? That is the most ignorant thing I have heard in a long time and I live in America! Have you forgotten that America is currently waging a war on the entire Muslim world? Did you also forget that America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima murdering over 100,000 innocent Asian people during WWII while back home thousands of Japanese Americans were hoarded onto concentration camps. Middle Easterners and Asians don’t even speak european languages as their native tounges. I grew up in San Francisco, CA which mine as well be in China, Mexico or the Phillipines and let me tell you Asians and Hispanics are from being White culturally.
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hola ami megusta la princesay el sapo
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When I watched this movie, I loved it. It was charming with the classical Disney movie feel and great music.
She got a white prince? Seriously? Because he passed for a lighter black guy. Not until a friend had googled Princess and the Frog did we even have a question about his race. His race never seamed to matter one way or another.
“She became a businesswoman instead – even though Cinderella and Snow White were both maids.” I actually liked this idea in this movie. It was good for once to see a Disney Princess do more with her life than just becoming the princess/getting married and that be he sole purpose in life.
One thing I did NOT like about this movie was the character of the Firefly. It felt insulting and awkward to watch, like Disney was really stressing stereotypes too hard.
I’m a little confused. Was Fa Mulan racist for being Chinese, Belle for being French, or Jasmine for being Arabian? The guys they ended up with were their same nationality. So is the Princess and the Frog racist because, as you have pointed out, it is an interracial couple?
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Good Point “Just a Girl”…
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y doesn’t someone write to Disney or something? i mean if this is a racist thing there’s nothing u can really do, America is kind of just a racist country even though they act like everyone has equal rights, but i thought the prince was really cute and i really dont care if he’s not black( note, i am a proud black woman). There’s always going to be things like this happening, so get over it
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wake up! people your in a trance doing that dance.Walt Disney is a racist company go back in there history nothing change just rearrange. thus you would have to forget everything you know it to be an open your mind and you will see.
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I wish they had done an African princess who immigrated to America and was romanced by an African American prince. That would have done us all more justice I think. Obviously those people at Disney have little imagination and didn’t even bother to look into any African or African American folk tales, etc., for inspiration.
My love interest isn’t a BM either, but why for the love of all that’s holy, since this is the first AA princess would they not pair her with a AA prince. So a black man can’t be a prince? Wow.
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After watching the DVD with my family I was genuinely entertained. My 3 year old was sad for “Ray” when he got squished and clapped when he got his “star”. He danced to the music and watched the whole thing. Quite a compliment if you are familiar with littleones attention spans.
The focus of the movie seemed to be the female “princess” being in charge of the action. She showed strength, wisdom, character, work-ethic and love of others REGARDLESS of skin-color or money.
It is a good lesson for anyone to take away positive attitudes from.
It really put a good light on her at every turn. Disney has some issues but this movie gets a plus from me in entertainment value and relationships.
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I haven’t seen this yet, but it looks like it sucks!!! On the other hand, it seems like another animator did what Disney couldn’t do…a few years before this movie was even produced! Happily ever after(a fairytail for every child): the princess and the frog, this cartoon is a favorite of mine!!! 🙂
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I learned how racist Walt Disney was watching a documentary. I was so disappointed. I was already pissed off at all the Disney animations because there were no positive images of black people. Song of the south was very racist. Jungle Book with I kind of had an issue with that as well. Then, I thought the Disney folks would redeem themselves, with the Princess and the Frog, again epic fail. Firstly, why couldn’t she have a black prince? Why did they stay frogs? Like I said great big epic fail.
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Princess Tiana, should have had a black prince. Why did they have to stay frogs? I smell a big stinky rat in that mouse house.
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I did kind of shed a tear when the little Cajun lightning bug got squished. That was kind of sad. I will admit that.
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@ mary
I wish she had a black prince as well I mean all the other princesses had princes their race. It’s weird to me as even mulan had an Asian male and Asian females date out more than black women yet the black princes has a white prince smh. And somebody pointed out about them turning into frogs how they look like how whites used to portray blacks as being big mothed and big footed like they did in the minstrel shows. And Disney was selling watermelon candy with tiana on it smh. They ain’t slick
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