Disney’s Black Cartoon princess… Let’s see how this turns out…
July 25, 2008
All My life I’ve been waiting for a black Disney cartoon,
!
I grew up during Disney’s cartoon revival. “The Little Mermaid” (yes I still know all of the songs) “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladin”(which was filled with it’s own racial stereotypes), “Pocahontas”, and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” were big deals in my time. I remember everyone’s excitement when we found out they were going to set a cartoon in Africa. “Alright, Black people!” we thought…No, more like wild animals. In either case the “Lion King” was a great movie.
So imagine my childish delight when I heard that Disney was going to do a cartoon film with actual black people! Yay, sure I’m too old for cartoons and i have no children to blame it on, but there’s no shame in my game, when it comes out I want to see it! So as more details came out I lapped them up with glee. Here was my thought process
“It’s called the “Princess and the Frog”- ok that might not be too bad
“It’s set in New Orleans”- Ok
“it’s set in the 1920’s”- alright… things weren’t that great for black people back then, but “American Girl” worked it out, Maybe Disney can too.
“It’s got a voudoo priestess fairy godmother”- umm… well all Disney movies have “magic.” The Lion King had “voudoo” too, though it was set in Africa so that still labeling Afica and all things of african descent to be of the ‘dark arts’. and not all “New Orleanders” get down with the ‘hoo doo.” perhaps I’m over thinking. It is a cartoon.
“She’s going to win the heart of loving white man who saves her from the clutches of the evil black male “voudoo priest”- What?? She’s needs to be saved by the white man from the evils of black heathenism? isn’t that how they justified slavery??
“The ‘princess’s’ name is Maddie”- Maddie? She sounds like a slave or a pet!
” She’s a black chambermaid working for a spoiled, white Southern debutante.”- Oh WOW! she IS a slave pet!
Eww, eewww! I don’t like it! Send it, send it, send it back!
Apparently I wasn’t the only one that hated it and Disney has in fact sent it back. To the drawing board of course.
The heroine has been recast as Tiana, a 19-year-old in a country that has never had a monarchy. She is now slated to live “happily ever after” with a handsome fellow who is not black – with leaks suggesting that he will be of Middle Eastern heritage and called Naveen. The race of the villain in the cartoon is reported to have also been revised.
Well HOPEFULLY This version will be be much better. Every little girl deserves a princess that looks like them. Please get it right Disney or little black girls old and young have been waiting on the day when they can be princesses without being slave/maids/servants etc. Please give us our day, (or we’ll revolt). On another note, I would love to see animators of color (Black, Latino, Asian, Indian, etc) step out and make something great. Let’s take control of our own images!
H, no offense but I really don’t see the big deal about her being named Maddy. it was popular name in the 1920s.
And I guess they thought the voodoo fairy god mother would be fun touch since New Orleans is known for it. The frog princess is actually a real fairytale told in New Orleans with the main character named Maddy. I don’t think they wanted to stray too far from the original. That and most black girls were maids of some sort or worked just like they’re moms.
Not arguing or anything, but i think that if there is something racist about this film, it’s purely unintentional. I think its just all about people’s own perspective. Just give it chance, i bet it’ll be worth watching.
I hope it’s good movie. I can’t wait to see a black girl rise up from sucky living to be a princess and live happily ever after like a real disney movie!
P.S. No one complained when Snow White was in rags, or Cinderella was practically a slave. Or when they made the Brandy Cinderella movie when she married a man of asian descent, or when pocahontas fell inlove with John Smith. It’s just a story. So i think the people’s reaction to this film is saying that they’re taking a cartoon entirely too seriously.
Wow, I’ve been waiting for this for along time. A black disney princess? I’m white myself, but live among black people and often forget that I’m white. I’ve never understood why there hasn’t been a black disney princess before. Pity though, that the prince isn’t black. The whole middle eastern thing looks to me like “Let’s throw in as many colours here as possible just for the sake of it.” Besides Arab princes and princesses has featured before. Aladin, Ali baba?
I say make the whole cast black and the good people too. Or why can’t they turn it around and make a white person evil for once? The black Princess saved by the black prince from the evil white lord or something?
Well i will say most people will agree with you.
OH~ it’s like great
finally i was wondering why there isn’t one
make her pretty like every one else there be allot of mad people
oh yeah also i agree
and iam black so ive been wanting this and wondering y there isn’t one already
plus i am still a kid for 5 more year s so this is exciting 4 me
i dont like ladywilight
u such ladytwilight
That’s exactly right!! THEY SHOULD go back to the drawing board because the name Maddie cannot compare with Belle, Arielle, or even Aurora!! And the fact that the princess had a voudoo priestess godmother was a little much. I will say that the idea of a frog princess is o.k. but why can’t she have a strong, black, and righteous hero to save her? Disney really needs to come up with a better role model for our young African American girls.
Hello. The first Black Princess better hell not play a role as a servant. i dont think so. Disney better include some more black people into the making of this movie.
Otherwise their gonna be in for it. A lot of changes are going on in this country. Obama running for president, black people are all over the news station now, they got Baldwin Hills, its only a matter of time before they make a show called ATL on the CW. But I hope that Disney is not gonna put us a step back. Actually I dont think they will put us a step back. They will set their ownselves back by making an insulting movie. They didn’t even have to make the story in New Orleans or the US as a matter of fact,it could have been Africa, Jamaica, Barbados, etc.
Idano I hate that the story has frog prince, can wee just set ourselves away from animals already. And why cant they just make a black prince and a black princess. Did anyone catch that Black in America Special on cnn? black families are torn apart as much as it. i know it, I come from one, and ive seen the statistics. So they need to settle their behinds down on a black prince & princess, no slaves, no servents (we are moving on), and a new location.
I just hope they get it right. their reputation will be on the line, and they probably will. their disney
oh and Cinderella is a Native American Tale. And one of their tales snow white, sleeping beauty, beauty & the beast is originally an African tale, that some white man probably stole and claimed his. i forget which one. so they better make it right
For the love of God people. It’s a cartoon! Stereotypes, while not always true, are there for a reason! They do have some basis in fact!
It’s great that they’re making a black princess. It’s time that the western society revise their thoughts on beauty. Beauty isn’t just for white, blond, skinny girls anymore. It’s for everyone. I think this is a move in the right direction.
If you say that this movie is going to negatively impact black girls, what about the other movies? Look at ALL the Disney princesses. They’re white, have tiny waists, a decent bust, and perfect bodies. Isn’t THAT more detrimental to young girls then the story or skin color?
I was really happy to see this actually, but then again. Disney has to appease the majority of its people.
What about Atlantis? She was dark complected. Alantian was I believe black descent.
I believe Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella were French.
I grew up watching a show where they have nations draw and animate fairytales of their nation.
Yeah Cinderella/Beauty and the Beast strikes me very European, I don’t really think the Native Americans had that one…
Anyway. I wont be surprised if this film fails. They are really losing their reign.
Why do princesses need to be saved anyway? How come they can’t cast a strong independant woman?
can you belive it!!!
a black disney princesse… wow!!!
can you believe it? i sure cant!!
i hope this movie is good
OR ILL HAVE TO WRITE A LETTER!!!
joke… disney movies are always awsome!!!
cant wait to see it =P
You know this is probably why Disney hasn’t made a movie with a black princess…its more than likely taken them this long to find a story thats “safe ” enough to avoid being ridiculed to death…anyone remember Disney’s John Henry? His girlfriend was beautiful and strong although not a princess I know… but think about it – this new movie is obviously a sign that Disney must have a strong crew of Black illustrators and storyboarders under their wings now and we should support that.
I agree with ladytwilight and S. They both make a good point. We should judge a person by their character, NOT the color of their skin. People are making too big of a fuss over race; would they still react that way if Maddy/Tiana was white and a servant? Probably not. No one would bat an eyelash.
And what if Tiana turns out to be the stereotypical subserviant, helpless princess that was popularized in the Middle Ages. . . would she still be a role model? Role models should be people of good character and good character is not determined by ethnicity.
I also find it surprising that some people seem to be against a white prince but for a black princess. Honestly, is race that important?
And ame, please stop making up falsehoods. Those fairytales are of European origin; they clearly have the characteristics of european culture. Each culture has unique tales to tell, but, either way, the origins of those fairytales will not change.
um from my point of view as a young black girl i wanna kno why disney hasnt already had a fairytale staring a black cast it isnt fair especialy when you look at the stats n luk at da amount of young black not to mention latina girls who participate in watchig these stories my true opinion is that this is garbage simply garbage who ever wrote this must rlly feel datz how a black disney fairytale would go. please make sure wen it comes bac frm da drawing boards its not ignorant trash like the original story was. I wouldnt want to come off in a offensive or racial way by saying this but i kno if it was the opposite staring a white cast there would be a large riot. So please rethink the whole script and save both disney and the kids the embarassment and horrible story script of that story and do it over the right way to inspire all girls especially black and also latina girls
Naughty princess… Make a white person evil for once? Excuse me if I’m wrong but in almost EVERY other disney movie the evil person HAS been white. So really, you have no point.
Ame… Cinderella and Snow White both served as servants. Why is it so RACIST if a black person does it as well? It’s a rags to riches story… as many fairy tales are. Just because she’s black doesn’t mean a thing, people like you are making this into a big deal when it shouldn’t be. Plus, you’re just plain racist. It’s evident when you go on to say that some white man probably stole the stories and claimed it for his own. Those stories have appeared in many cultures, with many variations. Don’t be ignorant.
Caitlynn… Once again, why is the story racist? Because she’s a chambermaid… and her name is Maddie. To compare with another Disney princess, Cinderella’s name was not elegant. It literally came from her name being Ella ( a simple but pretty name much like Maddie) being combined with the ashes she was often covered with. She too was a maid. And, her original story was inspiring. Maddie, who has now being named something more ’suitable’, rose above her status and fell in love with a man that loved her back. And, just because the man was white didn’t mean it was racist, it meant it SUPPORTED tolerance, not opposed it. Interracial couples are a good, positive thing. I should know, I’m bi-racial. So don’t be ignorant. And stop picking apart a perfectly good movie.
All of you people that claim disney is racist, you are all just racist yourself.
Ummm…hello?? A white villain for once? Have you never seen Beauty and the Beast? Gaston is white and he’s the villain. What about Sleeping Beauty? Malifacient is the villain and she’s white, yeah she turns into a dragon but she’s white. Or even Snow White? The queen is white!!! Do your research before you complain about not having a white villain.
Even if Disney created an entirely new story, in a land populated equally, and without any distinction, between black and white people (which would be tricky, since a few generations would mean everyone had a mixture of blood lines, then where does one colour end and the other begin?) Anyway, with a 50/50 population balance, one of the three main characters (female lead, male lead, villan) would, according to the percentages, be of different colour to the other two.
Whatever the story, however it was played, someone would find a reason to claim racism. Until the general public can learn to see people as “people” not “black people”, “white people”, “Asian people” etc. those who only see the colour will continue to scream racism whenever they can.
P.S. I bet there will even be people who read this post and say it’s racist.
“wen it comes bac frm da drawing boards” in the same sentence as “its not ignorant trash like the original story was”?
That’s rich. You can’t spell like that and then accuse anything at all of being ignorant… plus, the original story is not “ignorant trash”, it’s a centuries-old fairytale. And a European one at that.
That said, hooray for the concept and I hope it turns out well; not sure why the prince is white – but to be honest, I’d be much less comfortable with a “neatly segregated” movie.
The only thing I really, really don’t like is the change from Maddie to Tiana considering the setting. In the setting of the movie, a name like “Tiana” would have been unheard of, and probably seen as proof of ignorance or backwardness – Maddie, on the other hand, would have been a name that fit into the time and would have been made the character an equal to any other character, black or white. Before you complain about it having any sort of derogatory meaning, check it out — Madeleine/Maddie was a common name for both black and white people back then, and it still is used today. I really don’t see where the idea that it sounds like a name for a pet comes from.
so….
this movie is so not racist. I see how having a black vilain could be derogatory but in most Disney movies the vilains are white. I agree with Lynzi in that peple are always looking at ways to scram racism, over analyzing things. It’s a FAIRYTALE, A MADE UP STORY! Get over yourselves. It’s a story meant to enetertain. I personally believe that disney should use a strong, independent woman as a role model. But, as I said before, it’s a story. It wasn’t meant to be taken seriously,only to entertain.
ultimately this is left up for the black race to decide if its racist or not. as only black people can tell you what is racist to black people.
no other race can dictate what is racist to another race, because if you arent that race, then none of it is directed at you, so you dont have an idea as to what is racist to them.
so when the movie comes out in december, we will find out what black people think of this movie, its up to them in the end as a whole to determine what is racist to blacks and what really isnt. if black people like the movie in the end, then disney will have taken that step forward in recognizing blacks in their storylines, if blacks dont like it, then that means disney is going to have a big mess to clean up, and will have to answer to black peoples questions.
and its a good thing they got rid of the name maddie. the last thing i want to be thinking when watching this movie is of ashley tisdale (and her roles on suite life of zack and cody and hsm)