The Disney Princess Who Defies All Conventions

Disney Fairy Tales

Disney has presented fans with a vast collection of admirable princesses, all of whom have entered the forefront of popular culture. Back in the 1950s, the studio did a fantastic job of adapting age-old European tales into mesmerizing blockbusters that would remain in the audience’s hearts for a lifetime. But, as Disney entered and evolved past its Renaissance Era, the studio pushed away from princesses and toward more captivating and unusual stories.

Yet, princesses are still an integral part of the Walt Disney franchise, but in order to make them seem fresh and unique, Disney needed to provide fans with a brand-new princess. As such, ThePrincess and the Frog is an excellent example of a modern fairytale as it takes the princess archetype and gives it a completely new look. But what’s so special about ThePrincess and the Frog, and how has Tiana altered the canon of Disney princesses?

The Princess and the Frog Immerses Fans in the Roaring ’20s

 

Eudora, James, and Tiana cooking gumbo, Princess and the Frog Prince Naveen and Tiana with a hammer in The Princess and the Frog. Tiana and her mother at her and Naveen's restaurant in Princess and the Frog princess and the frog Cropped
Eudora, James, and Tiana cooking gumbo, Princess and the Frog
Prince Naveen and Tiana with a hammer in The Princess and the Frog. Tiana and her mother at her and Naveen's restaurant in Princess and the Frog princess and the frog Cropped

Beyoncé auditioned for the singing voice of Tiana but didn’t get the part.
The Princess and the Frog was the last Disney princess movie to be traditionally animated by hand.
In a similar vein to Beauty in the Beast, this film allows the voice actors to complete the speaking and singing parts.

Disney's Belle, pocahontas, Elsa, Snow White, Jasmine, vanellope von schweetz, Ariel, Cinderella and Anna, rendered in 3d for Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Disney has made a name for itself in no small part because of its princesses. But the history of these characters is a powerful tale on its own.

The Princess and the Frog takes place in the bustling hub of 1920s New Orleans, allowing audiences to enjoy a completely new environment right from the beginning. The film introduces us to Tiana, an ambitious young woman with dreams of opening up a grand restaurant. One evening, Tiana and her best friend Charlotte attend a marvelous masquerade party, and the former ends up kissing the admirable Prince Naveen. But, instead of falling head over heels for each other, the pair are instantly transformed into frogs. The audience learns that the vicious Dr. Facilier had put a curse on Prince Naveen, transforming him into a frog, while also allowing his best friend to steal his human form so that he can marry Charlotte and steal her wealth. Thus, Tiana and Naveen must battle the elements and visit a wealth of exuberant characters so that they can defeat Dr. Facilier and return to their usual selves.

Despite the other-worldly storyline, this film relies heavily on the motifs that New Orleans offers. Tiana’s restaurant is teeming with native foods, including gumbo and beignets. Not to mention, the antagonist, Dr. Facilier, uses voodoo to cast a spell over Naveen, highlighting the occult influences of this area. Thus, with its cultural setting, ThePrincess and the Frog pushes away from the European standards of typical fairytales and presents the audience with an off-beat American overlay. Plus, this film takes place in the 1920s, a time of financial prosperity. Therefore, Tiana doesn’t take the same role as Cinderella, where she is a poor housemaid, but she’s thriving in a world that supports her best interests.

Tiana Builds on Ideas Other Princesses Touched on

The Princess and the Frog 3

Tiana’s voice actress, Anika Noni Rose, wanted the character to be left-handed because she herself is left-handed.
Alicia Keys and Tyra Banks lobbied Walt Disney Studios for the part of Tiana but were still rejected.
One of the floats from the Mardi Gras parade includes King Triton from The Little Mermaid.

Disney Fairy Tales

Many of the loving stories of Disney Princesses come from dark fairy tales that would give kids nightmares.

Although other Disney princesses, such as Mulan and Kida, are goal-orientated and ambitious, they don’t have the same drive as Tiana. Thus, it could be said that Tiana not only offers audiences a breath of fresh air but builds upon the desirable characteristics of other female Disney characters. For example, Tiana’s biggest goal is to open a dining establishment in memory of her late father. She works two jobs as a waitress and saves up her tips so that she can achieve her dream and continue her father’s legacy. This is a very realistic trait and offers something that audiences can truly relate to. As such, where other princesses were striving to find true love’s kiss or overcome the nuances of the ocean, Tiana wanted to find success in the world of business. In turn, it could be argued that Tiana does not stand above the female protagonists that came before her but expands on their independence to provide the audience with something novel and intriguing.

Plus, Tiana is certainly not a damsel in distress and often has to soothe the worries of Prince Naveen. For example, when the pair are stuck in the bayou as frogs, Naveen doesn’t know what to do, but Tiana acts calmly and resourcefully, inspiring him to embark on this new adventure. In turn, the differences between Naveen and Tiana offer the audience a touch of comic relief as Naveen comes across as an ever-confident playboy but is actually scared of everything. Overall, Tiana’s confidence and determination allow her to be the driver of her own story, ensuring that the film focuses on her rather than just her relationship with the prince.

Princess and the Frog’s Soundtrack Still Holds Onto a Touch of Disney Magic

Characters from The Princess and The Frog.

The code title for this film during production was Orpheus.
Mama Odie is barefoot throughout the film.
In order to express Charlotte’s overt feminity, she exclusively wears clothes that are red and pink.

Rapunzel’s Aurora and Snow White alongside Aladdin’s Jasmine and Rajah.

RELATED

10 Disney Princesses Who Deserved a Better Happily Ever After, Ranked

While “Happily Ever After” is a staple of Disney’s princesses, some of the best princesses of all time deserved much better.

When this film was released in 2009, a lot of kids’ animated films were not focused on fairy tales or princesses but on more absurd themes. Thus, The Princess and the Frog was up against other unique films, such as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Coraline. By giving audiences a new take on fairytales, ThePrincess and the Frog was able to match up against these more surreal animated films and amass an impressive $271 million at the worldwide box office. But just because the studio took a lot of risks with this film doesn’t mean that it doesn’t contain a little sprinkling of Disney magic.

Alongside its stunning visuals, ThePrincess and the Frog also included a striking soundtrack. Keeping to its Louisianan roots, the film collects a wealth of jazz, blues, and gospel influences, blending them together to create an all-American feel. The soundtrack was also composed by the legendary Randy Newman, who is best known for working on popular Pixar films such as Monsters Inc. and Toy Story. In turn, it’s clear that Newman was able to blend all of these brilliant sounds in a way that still helped the film maintain its Disney roots. As such, although ThePrincess and the Frog pushes away from a multitude of customs, it still harks back to other Disney classics such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, where music guides the story to completion.

Tiana Presents Disney in a Whole New Light

Tiana dancing in her restaurant

This was the first Walt Disney musical film not to be released on VHS.
Angela Bassett was originally considered for the role of Eudora before Oprah Winfrey secured the part.
The film was initially titled The Frog Princess.

Honorary Disney Princesses

Fans have taken to including some of their favorite Disney female characters into the prestigious princess circle, whether they’re royalty or not.

Although the film was released well over a decade ago, The Princess and the Frog still impacts modern society as well as the Disney franchise. Most notably, Tiana is recognized as the first Black Disney princess, making her a pioneer in diversity and representation. Since the creation of Tiana, Disney has pushed a series of compelling stories with people of color at the center, such as Black Panther and Encanto. Thus, although it may seem silly that the first Black princess was only introduced during the 21st century, it’s clear that she opened the door for other inspirational Disney characters.

Fans of the Disney Parks will also be aware that the beloved Splash Mountain ride has recently been redesigned as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Previously, the ride had taken inspiration from Song of the South, a film now criticized for its racial insensitivities. Thus, by making Tiana the mascot of one of the park’s most famous rides, it’s clear to fans that her legacy will continue to extend. Plus, with many hit Disney movies getting live action remakes, Tiana’s legacy has the possibility to continue to shine in other mediums.

The Princess and the Frog

G
Adventure
Fantasy
Comedy

A waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.

DirectorJohn Musker , Ron Clements
Release DateDecember 11, 2009
StudioWalt Disney Studios
CastAnika Noni Rose , Keith David , Oprah Winfrey , Bruno Campos , Michael-Leon Wooley , Jennifer Cody , Terrence Howard
WritersGreg Erb , Jason Oremland , John Musker , Ron Clements
Runtime97 minutes
Main Genre Animation
Production CompanyWalt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Related Posts

Our Privacy policy

https://newsgrow24.com - © 2025 News