Interracial Dating In “The Princess And The Frog”—So What?
Posted by: Annika Harris
Filed in:
news
10:30AM, Tuesday April 28th 2009
Later this year, Disney plans to release its first animated musical featuring a black princess, “The Princess and the Frog.” Even lthough Disney is taking a big, albeit late, step by creating its first black princess, the project hasn’t been without controversy. First, Disney changed the heroine’s name to Tiana from Maddy, a stereotypical slave name. Then, the producers changed her profession from chambermaid to restaurant entrepreneur. Now, people are up in arms because Princess Tiana’s love interest, Prince Naveen, looks white. He’s described as having olive-toned skin and a slight Spanish accent—because he’s voiced by Brazilian actor Bruno Campos. Could it be that Disney, which has a history of marginalizing blacks, is actually promoting interracial dating?
Blogger James Collier theorizes about Disney’s motives for making the prince non-black: “Disney does not want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor.” Others think Disney has deemed black-on-black love as unmarketable to little white girls. Given Disney’s history of omitting blacks from its projects, these theories are plausible explanations. But I doubt Disney held meetings in which they plotted to keep blacks with blacks and whites with whites. Or am I naive?
When I wrote about “The Princess and the Frog” back in February, I did notice that the prince was an ambiguous Disney brown. You know, the brown color Disney uses when it wants the character to be brown, but not too brown. Since I couldn’t tell for sure what color he was, I did something that I did as a child when I played with my Barbies or watched “The Simpsons”—I made him whatever color I wanted him to be. And I think most children will do this while watching the movie.
Ultimately, interracial loving shouldn’t be an issue. His name is of Hindi and Indian origin. New Orleans, the setting for the movie-musical, has a lengthy history of interracial relationships. And actor Campoa could very well have a little black in him—since Brazil has the largest black population outside of Africa. The uproar over the prince’s perceived race is ridiculous. No one was upset when Pocahontas hooked up with Englishman John Smith because that had some basis in history. Well, some black women date outside their race. And if white women didn’t date black men from time to time, we wouldn’t have a President. But look at it this way: Disney already had an inter-species relationship in “The Little Mermaid,” so why not let Princess Tiana hook up with a prince who isn’t as brown as she is? [FOXNews.com]
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lilrockgoddess4u
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 02:05 pm: [report]
This is a children’s movie. I don’t know any children who are going to watch this and think about the color of the characters skin. It’s only the parents who would notice something like that. I thought we as a country had progressed more than this! Interracial relationships are nothing new and are good for the gene pool.
littlebit21
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 02:39 pm: [report]
As a little black girl who grew up with Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel, I can wholeheartedly say that I am super excited for this movie! Finally a Disney princess that looks like me! As for the interracial dating, it mirrors my life and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Besides, if the Prince were black, it might turn into a “Black Disney Project” where they contain all the black characters in one film and never feature them again.
Lexie
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 03:22 pm: [report]
No one had their panties in a bunch when borderline bestiality was suggested in Beauty and The Beast.
kissamuse
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 03:32 pm: [report]
he’d have a slight portuguese or brazilian accent, not spanish…. pet peeve, sorry.
Cherubina
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 06:58 pm: [report]
As a white woman in an interracial relationship with a Filipino man, I wholeheartedly applaud this choice by Disney to feature its first black princess and an interracial relationship. I agree, most kids (at least those not raised by white-supremacist parents) won’t even notice the difference, and those who do will at least be able to get a small peek into our diverse society. Better late than never ...
I was born in a small, mostly white town in Upstate New York. I wish I’d had this movie to expose me to the rich and colorful spectrum of life that I couldn’t experience at home.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 07:47 pm: [report]
“Where all da’ white women at?”
I waited long enough, I think, for some serious conversation to take place before being a goof.
theattack
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 08:16 pm: [report]
I think this is great! The media tends to focus on whites to fill the roles of beautiful women and important main characters. Young girls of color should be able to see that they are beautiful and valued by society as well. Even if it’s not an explicit message for them as small children, it doesn’t mean that it’s not important enough to include. Way to step it up, Disney!
shoeluvher
wrote on April 28 2009 @ 09:39 pm: [report]
I think that the prince should have been black. Disney should be promoting black on black love.
retro chic
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 08:08 am: [report]
Annika, I know the PC Disney color you mean,“Mogley” brown (a la Jungle Book). Is that it? My daughters past the princess stage, but am glad it’ll be a beginning towards balance.
Annika/shoeluvher, Disney doesn’t promote anyting but Disney’s mostly white love of green dollars. Having worked with them, they’re notoriously very cheap, all about profit, not any cause or group.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 08:12 am: [report]
@retro chic: Jasmine from Aladdin comes close to that brown.
Perceptible
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 08:36 am: [report]
I’m glad Disney has finally joined the 21st century where an interracial relationship is commonplace. But I’m disappointed that it’s even still an issue. It should be so acceptable that it’s not remarkable. Maybe someday.
Here’s some controversy: I don’t allow my kids (son or daughter) to watch any of those princess movies! Never mind the skin color of any of the characters, teaching children that your goal in life is to find or be prince charming is an unrealistic goal and not what brings true happiness in life. Yes, yes, I know Mulan was a slightly different focus, but I’ll keep my kids away from even the term “princess” for as long as I can, or until they’re old enough to recognize the sheer ridiculousness of it.
Anon
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 09:26 am: [report]
“Second, New Orleans, the setting for the movie-musical, has a very lengthy history of interracial relationships.”
Umm…. Really? Would you care to back that up with anything? Because as a New Orleanian that comes as a huge surprise to me.
sklut
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 11:56 am: [report]
how about just a plain “Who Cares?”. I’m all for interracial dating, I do it myself and love it but I’m kind of tired of having race issues shoved down my throat. I just don’t care what color anyone is anymore…
lilrockgoddess4u
wrote on April 29 2009 @ 12:21 pm: [report]
@Anon what about Cajuns? My stepdad is from New Iberia/Jeaneratte and has black, white(french), and spanish in him. I know that’s not N.O, but just proves that interracial relationships do and did happen in Louisiana.
Annika Harris
wrote on April 30 2009 @ 07:09 am: [report]
@kissamuse I know Brazilians speak Portuguese and therefore have a Portuguese accent. However, there were reports that his accent is Spanish, and since I haven’t heard the character’s voice, I had to go with the reports.
kinkeh
wrote on June 15 2009 @ 02:07 pm: [report]
I love this!
Yeah, we all know it’s ridiculous and silly for it to even still be an issue, but it is- not everyone is down like we are.