The Walt Disney Co. has started production on an animated musical fairy tale called “The Frog Princess,” which will be set in New Orleans and feature the Walt Disney Studio’s first black princess.
Disney said its new animated princess — Maddy — will be added to its collection of animated princesses used at the company’s theme parks and on consumer products.
The film is set for release in 2009.
John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Disney and the Disney-owned unit Pixar Animation Studios, said the movie would return to the classic hand-drawn animation process, instead of using computer animation that has become the industry standard. He called the film “an American fairy tale.” READ MORE >>>>
…Wow i think that is great. I dont know about the name “Maddy”, lol. But i guess.
This is a good thing for our girls. So far I try to push Pocahonta’s and Jasmine with my daughter. However, my daughter is outgrowing this type of thing now at 7. She is more into Cheetah Girls and High School Musical. I am sure it will be good for the little ones.
im so happy to finally have a black disney princess to buy my lil cousins and nieces. they have disney characters in every nationality. Asians have mulan, native americans have pocahontas, middle easterns have princess jasmine, and there are blonde, brunette and just about every other kinda white princess. and when WE FINALLY got a movie in africa, they used lions and antelope. then when we got the second disney movie in africa (tarzan for those who dont know) they used monkeys and english explorers.
im very very proud that we have a southern belle from disney
all the other princess been around for years
i wonder if she will be a hit
Who would have thought….
It’s about time…when Lion King came out and it was set in Africa they made them animals but it became a big hit (box office and broadway). I’m 22 and I’m definitely going to see it!
It’s about time!! And Angel, you are right. Maddy is weird, but let’s be happy that we finally have a Disney Princess! GO MADDY!
im extremely happy to finally have a black disney character to buy for my nieces and cousins. for so long ive complained about the exclusion of blacks in disney movies. there is a disney princess for every race. asians have mulan. middle easterns have princess jasmine. native americans have pocahontas. and as for europeans and white americans, they have a blonde, a brunette and a red head to choose from.
and when WE FINALLY got a movie based in africa, they used lions. and the when we got a second one (Tarzan) they used gorillas and european explorers.
i am very proud to have a Black princess to buy my daughter one day
Yeah the concept is a good one. A lot of people are baffled the choice in name. But the guy making the movie also made Little Mermaid, Hercules, and Pocahantas so I think he know what he doing.
Go black PRINCESS! My neice will definately be getting her for valentines day, xmas, bday, etc.
That’s great! Finally a Black princess. Our younger generation can grow up to feel proud about who they are and young Black girls can see a positive view of women instead of video hos on BET & MTV. Even though she’s a cartoon character you still get what I mean lol.
I’m really excited about this. I’m kinda mad we have to wait until 2009, though!
Pray that she is successful and people will love her, and pray that some stupid racist group doesn’t start some shit (wasn’t Walt Disney Jewish?).
At least they made her beautiful.
This is great. I think it will be really good for our young black girls. I can see the Maddy dolls now…flying off the shelves at Christmas time.
I wonder who they will get to play the voices. I read somewhere that Alicia Keys wants the role of Maddy. They were also considering Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose.
Anybody on the board have any suggestions who should play Maddy?
BOUT DAMN TIME THEY HAD EVERY OTHER PRINCESS BUT A BLACK ONE!
Well I’ll be damned…I thought I would never live to see the day Disney created a Black Princess!!!
I’M SO HAPPY THAT MY NIECE CAN ADMIRE PRINCESS MADDY. HOWEVER, I HOPE THAT THE MOVIE IS DONE WELL. I LOOKED INTO MORE INFO ABOUT IT AND IT’S SET IN THE 1920′S IN NEW ORLEANS. SO THEY HAVE SOME (ALTHOUGH ACCURATE ACCORDING TO THE TIME) POTENTIAL CONTROVERSIAL CHARACTERS.
MADDY-CHAMBERMAID
LITTLE ARILA-MADDY’S VERY SMART LITTLE SISTER
EUDORA-MADDY’S MOTHER/CHARLOTTES FORMER NURSE MAID
DR. DUVALIER-AFRICAN AMERICAN VOODOO MAGICIAN (VILLAIN OF MOVIE)
MAMA ODIE-VOODOO PREISTESS (FAIRY GODMOTHER
_
RAY-LOVESICK CAJUN FIREFLY
LOUIS-JAZZ SINGER ALLIGATOR
CHARLOTTE LA BOUFF-SPOILED DEBUTANTE
BIG DADDY LA BOUFF-WEALTHY PLANTATION OWNER AND FATHER OF CHARLOTTE
GEORGE-THE LA BOUFF’S COOK
PRINCE HARRY-SWEET EUROPEAN PRINCE
LAWRENCE-PRINCE HARRY’S VALET
SOO, WITH THAT SAID, I HOPE THEY DO IT JUSTICE. I KNOW I’LL BE GOING TO SEE IT!!!
You know what, thats HOT. Why it took so long to get a BLACK PRINCESS is beyond me, but she here now…..Um, I hope there’s a point to her outfit though.
what the hell is up with that slave name “maddy” I guess cause ceilly was taken. I think its abotu time they had black actors do characters for disney that wasnt a talking animal.
the name is probably a crossover thing.. the princess of all princesses in europe is named MADELEINE.. everyone calls her MADDE or MADDY…
It’s about damn time, and so many of you preach that “we are the world” nonsense and act as if racism is over. Look how long it took to get a black princess, I guess we are finally considered worthy.
thank ya massah
Maddy??
I think Kelly Rowland might be a good choice for Maddy..
I’ve heard of that but I didn’t know her name. MADDY? That’s the only name they could come up with? That sounds like an angry name. But I’m glad we have a black princess. Now how will her prince look? LOL
Word is that Alicia Keys will be the voice of the princess.
IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME
why the prince gatta be european though
im happy with have a black princess.
im not too sure about the name Madddy.
Why does her name have to sound like the maid from the fields?
im happy finally we get representation in disney films. But i have to say this, white people get cinderella, snowwhite, rapunzel etc (all such beautiful names and what do we get? MADDY?? oh well i guess i cant complain.
Yay, its about time… but hey I guess it is better late than never!
I think Maddy is short for Madeline which I think would have sounded a bit better.
Bruman…I don’t think their ready for a black prince yet…don’t ask me why this is so…
Baby steps…I guess:(
LMAO@18 slave name comment
The marketing machines are Disney recently discovered that there is a market that they can exploited by producing a black princess only in complexion. It would be interesting to see how many blacks will buy this black princess doll for their children, since many of our children sub-consciously believe that white dolls are prettier than black ones.
Maddy? WTF
Thank you massah, we is so glad, yes sir we is glad
The name is probably short for Madeline or Madison.
They should have used an AFRICAN PRINCE instead.
God damn people. You’re gonna complain about a name? Get over it. It’s a princess story…and they can’t very well call her Princess Madeline because there already is one. So, she’s named Maddy. I’m sure the creators thought long and hard about the name. What’d you want? Shanequah?
Just enjoy the fact that there will be a black princess that our young daughters can finally identify with. Nothing wrong with the other princesses in the Disney line, though. My goddaughter has the entire line and this one will be added to it.
Also, Brian, it’s probably taking so long because they’re hand drawing it…much like Cinderella and Snow White. Those are classics and no doubt, Maddy will be too.
After falling in love with Jazmine Sullivan’s voice, I think placing her in a film like this will be the boost her career needs. I don’t like Alicia’s accent for this role. It should be about the character and not the celebrity.
I am happy about this. I have a 4 year old niece who absolutely loves Disney Princesses and becuase they had no black faces my sister banned it from the house, so now my niece can have a black princess character to admire.
IM NOT MAKING A FUSS OVER THIS MESS BECAUSE:
1. ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME
2. WHY SHE GOTTA BE A FROG??
3. NOT TO BE ALL COLOR STRUCK BUT SHE IS A BIT CRISPY
4. WHY DID THEY MAKE HER HAIR INTO A NAPPY PONYTAIL WHEN SNOW WHITE, CINDERELLA ETC GET ALL THESE INTRICATE HAIRSTYLES?
5. THERES NOTHING GLAMOURUS ABOUT HER SHE LOOKS LIKE LAQUIDA FROM THE PROJECTS & THEY THREW A LEFTOVER PRINCESS DRESS ON HER. MAYBE THIS WAS ONE OF CINDERELLA’S EVIL STEP SISTERS HAND ME DOWNS?
6. MADDY?? WTF ARE ALL BLACK WOMEN MAD CREATURES????
Maddy? Mammy? Same thing jkjkjkjk…
While I’m glad that Disney is FINALLY doing a movie with a black princess (b/c I’m sick of seeing all the current and past ones that my little cousin likes…ariel, belle, etc.). Why does the storyline have to center around voodoo just b/c she’s from New Orleans? Newsflash, not everyone in New Orleans (or the south for that matter) practices voodoo.
Can I ask the question, Why is she referred to as the “Frog Princess” and why are we so excited that Disney is creating a black princess with the name “Maddy”?
AND I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE SHE WASNT COMING UNTIL 2009!!! DONT MAKE ME GET TO CUSSIN…
I am not impressed yall…it has only taken almost 10 years after Pochantis, and all the others, for them to finally give us our own! Whatever, the only thing I support from Disney is Raven Simone for my little girl! Let Disney keep this! They are too damned late! It has now taken them to figure out that brown people are more of an market/target audience because of our buying power! So to hell with Disney, I am not impressed!
BashyBoo. You are hilarious. hahaha. nappy ponytail!
#36
Bashy, you crack me up! But everything you listed is true. I started to say something about ol’ girl’s hair but decided not to for fear of backlash. Her hair looks the way mine does when I’m in need of a touch up and I just throw it in a ponytail.
@ least she has real hair..not relaxed hair..thank god!!
Ummm. . . yeah it’s a black princess. . .but set in NEW ORLEANS & MADDY??? Like you said “I guess we can’t be too picky”. . .or can we
Hell naw we can’t be picky….
Even though its a black fairy tale they still gotta keep it mainstream. I’m interested to see what kinda audience this movie attracts and if it’ll be as successful as all the other Disney movies.
At least she’s cute
Disney you are late as hell. I think the setting is a little questionable and the CNN article states this will be an “American” tale. Most of the other Disney characters were placed in settings reflective of their culture.
Lilo (Hawaii)
Mulan (China)
Pocahontas (America) I could go on, why is Maddy growing up in 1920′s New Orleans?
And “The Frog Princess” ….if this is the same old kiss a frog he becomes a prince bit, then this news isn’t exciting to me. I would have liked for this to be set in Africa. Maybe an African princess fighting to save her village or growing up and witnessing her father building pyramids, now that’s what I’d like my daughters to see.
As for the comment about her complexion being dark, would you have rather her been Pocahontas or Jasmine’s complexion and look passable rather than being readily identifiale as a black girl?
48. TK said
thank you TK i guess Massah’s brainwashing really worked, he got poor black folks to REALLY BELIEVE his features of PALE SKIN AND STRAIGHT HAIR = BEAUTY… black folks been ass backwards so long they don’t even realize it
42. JillyBean819 said:
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#36
Bashy, you crack me up! But everything you listed is true. I started to say something about ol’ girl’s hair but decided not to for fear of backlash. Her hair looks the way mine does when I’m in need of a touch up and I just throw it in a ponytail.
Correction***
thank you TK i guess Massah’s brainwashing really worked, he got poor black folks to REALLY BELIEVE his features of PALE SKIN AND STRAIGHT HAIR = BEAUTY… black folks been ass backwards so long they don’t even realize it
42. JillyBean819 said:
——————————————————————————–
#36
Bashy, you crack me up! But everything you listed is true. I started to say something about ol’ girl’s hair but decided not to for fear of backlash. Her hair looks the way mine does when I’m in need of a touch up and I just throw it in a ponytail.
NO #48 TK BECAUSE ITS OBVIOUS YOU ARE REFERRING TO ME!
IM JUST TIRED OF SEEING AFRICAN CARTOON CHARACTERS(WHENEVER WE GET ONE) LOOKING EXTRA BLACK AND THEIR FACIAL FEATURES EXTRA EXAGERATED(LIKE WE ALL GOT EXTRA BIG LIPS AND EYES) AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE CAN POINT OUT ONE BLACK CARTOON CHARACTER AND YOU BE LIKE DAMN WHY IT GOTTA BE ALL LIKE THAT?
LIKE I SAID NOT TO BE COLOR STRUCK AND THEY DONT HAVE TO BE BEIGE LIKE PENNY PROUD, BUT DAMN!!
Um @ 12 Walt Disney Is Spanish his real name is JOSE i think he was adopted
I think the movie will do great at the box office because black parents are happy our little girls have a Princess to admire and feel good about. There’re black Princess dolls out now that parents can buy girls. But I know Black people are going to purchase and spend all their money on merchandise that comes along with this movie, because we are so happy they gave or girls something, which is sad to me. We should tell our girls how beautiful and precious they are everyday. They shouldn’t have to get that validation from an animation. Parents aren’t raising their girls (also boys) to love and feel good about themselves. We need to do better at instilling pride in our kids, so that having a black princess or not wouldn’t really matter. But I really believe this will be a good movie for little girls, because a lot of girls aren’t being raised to know how precious they really are.
Some of these comments are sad to read. Her hair should be nappy. We have kinky/nappy hair. Do y’all want her to have long, straight hair like the other Princesses? If so, why? Black women spend way too much money on their hair. By the way, 80% of that money we spend goes out of our community and straight in Koren’s pockets.
I’m not trying to start anything or offend anyone, but why say “don’t be picky and just be happy they created a black Princess”? I know some of you are saying that jokingly, and I’m not refering to you. But what’s up with the slave mentality? That’s in the same vein of saying, “we thankful massa gave us some scraps to eat, ’cause I shole was hungry”. Yeah, this animation maybe good for some girls, but damn, why depend on Disney to create those images for our kids?
I’m sorry if I upset anyone, I’m just giving my opinion.
Bashyboo you sound really stupid and this has to be the most ignorant thing i’ve her you say. I am light skinned myself and in no way does princess Maddy look even near to some of the dark skin complexions i’ve seen in Africa. You’re a brainwashed woman! Maddy is not crispy and i’m glad she’s not light even though I am a light skinned woman myself. I would prefer Maddy of darker skin tone wich reflects Africans more. About her hair? I think you’re right it could have been better cause believe it or not White women don’t wake up to perfect hair either they get treatment done to their hair as well so yeah. I think they should have gave her shoudler lenght straight hair. The name Maddy? I think her name should have been Bella. And another thing Bashyboo, would you be happy if they made her the complexion of Halle berry and put blonde hair on her head? Would that make you feel better as a Black woman? Get real.
wHY NOT jEMIMAH!!! Maddy could at least be Madison…hmmmm I guess no Tameka of Keisha then we’d be pissed!
She kinda looks like Brandy.
I boycotted Disney for many years due to the fact that they had no black princess. I refused to purchase them for my nieces and others from doing the same.
It’s about damn time.
thats nices its about time but if her name was boonquiesha yall be made
i mean mad my bad
and last time i checked maddy was short for madison