The Princess and the Frog is an upcoming animated musical feature film currently being produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and based upon the classic fairy tale The Frog Princess. It will be the first traditionally animated (2-D) feature film in Disney's animated features canon since 2004's Home on the Range. When finished, it will take its place as the 48th animated film by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It is being directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, directors of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, with songs and score composed by Randy Newman and starring the voice talents of Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, John Goodman, Jenifer Lewis, Angela Bassett and Peter Bartlett. Dreamgirls star Anika Noni Rose is providing the voice for the lead character, Tiana.
The film, which began production under the working title The Frog Princess, will be an American fairy tale musical set in New Orleans during the 1920s Jazz Age, and Tiana will be the first Black Disney Princess.
Controversy
There is a bit of a controversy over this new movie, but I'm not sure what that is all about. As a black person myself I am delighted that Disney has chosen to make this new movie and I hope that children like it.
The Heroine of the movie, who is the first Black American Disney Princess, caused some controversy when she was given what some people perceived as a stereotypically lower-class "black name" "Maddy" and was made a chambermaid, an occupation some felt not in keeping with the image of a Disney Princess - despite the fact that Snow White and Cinderella both had similar occupations.My mother worked as a maid, so I don't have a problem with that, and I am old enough to have known a couple of lovely ladies who were named Maddy. It kind of seems silly to me to complain about a movie before it has been made. I really don't know who the complaints are coming from either. I think with this kind of creative effort it is just best to make the movie and let the chips fall where they may.
On April 20, 2007, E! reported that the title of the film could possibly be changed from The Frog Princess to The Princess and the Frog, and that the lead character Maddy may be getting a name change as well.
On May 4, 2007, USA Today published an article regarding the film in which they referred to it under the aforementioned title, The Princess and the Frog, and referred to the lead character as "Tiana" rather than Maddy, supporting the earlier reported name change possibilities.
On May 8, 2007, BET and other online sites reported that Disney spokeswoman Heidi Trotta stated that some of the original release information was incorrect, and confirmed the USA Today names "Princess Tiana" and The Princess and the Frog to be correct. Tiana will no longer be a "chamber maid." Trotta stated "Princess Tiana will be a heroine in the great tradition of Disney’s rich animated fairy tale legacy, and all other characters and aspects of the story will be treated with the greatest respect and sensitivity."
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