Starring Disney’s first animated African American princess and featuring the voice of award-winning actress-singer Anika Noni Rose, “The Princess and the Frog” is a film that many Disney fans hold in high regard. This movie is important not just because it was Disney’s last hand-drawn princess movie but because it gave Black people, especially girls, their first taste of Disney royalty.
Before Tiana made her debut as Disney’s token Black friend, the company’s prior take on African American characters proved to be offensive; the 1946 movie “Song of the South” starred Uncle Remus, a Black man whose only purpose was to bring happiness to a white family living on a Georgia plantation.
In 2020, it was announced that Tiana would get her own Disney+ series, with Rose reprising her role as the princess. Five years passed with no updates about the series, and on March 3, it was reported that it was ultimately canceled due to issues with production costs.
Rose stated, “I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short.”
Unsurprisingly, this is not the first time Disney has been involved in a controversy related to Tiana. In 2018, fans noticed Tiana’s skin color was noticeably lighter in “Ralph Breaks the Internet” than in her original appearance. This prompted a response from Rose, with her stating, “I was as surprised as most of [Tiana’s] and my fans were.” Rose met with animators who worked on the movie to address the issue, showing her dedication to her character and the Black community as a whole.
Since it took Disney over six decades to portray a Black person properly, and they have not featured any African American princesses in their official princess lineup since, it is no surprise that Tiana has been denied her own original series, while similar characters such as Rapunzel have thrived since their introductions. It is upsetting that the only Black Disney princess struggles to get recognition 16 years after her debut.
Fortunately, even with the show being canceled, a special inspired by the movie remains in development. If Disney can at least give Tiana what she deserves, Tiana fans can rest easy knowing that her future is not set in stone.
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