DISNEY’S FIRST BLACK PRINCESS CAN’T FIND A BLACK PRINCE?
Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana are pictured. Some criticize that Prince Naveen is too “white” looking. These critics wonder why Disney’s first Black princess can’t find a Black prince.
Via TheDailyMail:While some have hailed Disney’s decision as a reflection of melting pot America, others say the company is sending out a mixed message. Although the black princess’s love interest in the new animated musical is called Prince Naveen of Maldonia and is voiced by a Brazilian actor, he looks more white than black in photographs from the film that Disney have released.
Since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, all of Disney’s princesses have predominantly been white.
A native Indian princess was featured in Pocahontas and Jasmine in Aladdin had a Middle Eastern appearance. The race row hasn’t yet hit the mainstream because the film’s release date isn’t until late in the year, but Internet chat rooms and blogs have been abuzz with complaints.
One disappointed fan wrote (sic): ‘I think it’s sad that he is white because its saying that black love isn’t good enough and that black men could never be princes. ‘Disney had the perfect chance to make its first black prince, but instead it decided to go the controversial route.’
Another complained (sic): ‘I am very disappointed and I wished Disney had made the prince black,(and the ironic thing is the prince in the movie is white but the evil voodoo villain is voiced by a black actor and is black).’ Since announcing their plans for the first black princess in 2006 the production of Hollywood studio’s 49th animated film has been dogged by racial controversy.
Originally called The Frog Princess, its heroine was to be a chambermaid called Maddy working for a spoilt white debutante in 1920s New Orleans.
But the storyline sparked a backlash from critics who claimed it reinforced prejudice and demeaned black people.
The princess’s original name was perceived by some to be a stereotypical ‘slave name’ and she was also a maid working for a wealthy white boss, which was criticised as being racially insensitive.
Even the New Orleans setting for the film was questioned as it had overtones of voodoo and slavery.
Disney has insisted its choice of a black princess was part of a policy to give characters as much diversity as possible.
Pocahantas had a white prince so stop bellyaching about this.
omg stop complaining theirs interracial relationships all over
IDK, I sort of have mixed feelings:
1. The prince being white further pushes the acceptance of interracial relationships which will teach children today to be more tolerant of their peers…yay!
BUT…
2. Plain and simple, why couldn’t the prince be a brotha?
But all in all, it’s a movie…for kids…and sometimes I think that we adults look to far into something so simple. Let it be.
Now, if her name was Kizzie it would have been a WHOLE different story.
i dnt care i still think its cute that there is a black president and princess (how special in 2009)
(sigh) Everyone will always find something to complain about. I believe the films underlying message is to show an evolving America. Interracial relationships and the mixed raced children they produce are on the rise in our country. I think several kids and parents will find this movie extremely relatable.
People complain about everything.
The prince looks mixed to me doesnt look white.
Why cant we all just be happy about the changes being made in 09.
people get an inch and they want to take a mile Im glad we have an African american president but now people feel entitled to have everything black
Belinda, Pocahantas was based on a true story in which the real John Smith was white. Wouldn’t make sense to make him any other color.
Honestly though, Tiana’s prince does not look white. Mixed…but not white. I’m just happy that they changed the story.
Pochantas had a white prince, and Naveen isn’t really a white name, plus the prince doesn’t really look white. I would like to see a black prince though, so my feelings about it are pretty mixed.
Now who’s to say the prince isnt interracial. See if I said that same remark (he looks to white) about someone’s kid all hell would break lose. Come on people is it really that serious? This could be a Hallie Berry story. LOL I’m joking but not at the same time.
THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD….
THE ONLY THING PEOPLE (ALL PEOPLE) SEE IS COLOR…
ITS SAD STILL SO SAD……
I believe in white with black and all races, but we have to be careful with the messages we send to little black girls. Born with black Mother and Black Father.
Really, in the scheme of things, WHO CARES!
Prince Naveen isn’t ‘mixed’ he is probably from the east indies or is Arab.
This is terrible!!! So what he is not black, this is 2009 things have changed. The time setting of the movie is 1920s in New Orleans there were many mixed races back then. This is the first black PRINCESS from disney we should be happy about that, this movie is about her. If the prince was black, people would be upset because he was a frog. You just can’t win these days!!
I agree with there (potentially) being a great lesson in having mixed race fairytale couples…and Prince Naveen is either arab or just a lightskinned black man who happens to favor Cab Calloway…
John Smith wasn’t a prince btw and the prince looks light-skinned to me, not white. And we have to remember this is DISNEY. Where all the whitest movies all of us love are made. It took them more than 60 years to say hey maybe we should make a “colored” princess(you know they said that) let alone the star of the movie. The prince can not be all black cuz they want the white kids to see it too. Its sad but that’s the way it is, I bet any amount of money this is the only black girl we will see in and as the star of a Disney movie. We should be happy, at least she’s not the token black sidekick girl in a all white movie.
Prince Naveen looks like Rick Fox to me!
I am on board with this movie if Disney’s intent was showcasing diversity and inclusiveness, but if something more sinister is at play I will not support it. Wonder if they’ll ever do a White princess/ Black prince movie??!
@dallascutie09…. thats so funny i totally agree with you on that. everyone would have a fit if the prince was black and he was a frog. i am an african american woman myself. and i just think sometimes our people go a little too far with race relations
The cartoon is based in New Orleans so I would think he is creole. He actually look at someone from that area.
HAHA.. so agreeing with Zee, that cracked me up!
i think with the amount of disney movies so far having a white prince and white princess, it would have been nice to see a black prince with the princess, after all black and mixed kids have been watching these “white” movies for decades why would making them black not appeal to white kids?
i do also understand promotion of interacial relationships to kids is a good thing but as ppl have said, disney did this already
i just think it would have been nice thats all
Disney execs are smart, they know what they’re doing. If this starts getting more press, the first thing people will say is that he’s the same shade as Obama, what’s the problem, blahhh blahh blahhh. I for one would have liked a Black prince. Alladin and Jasmine are the same race so kill that “all prince’s are white” [BS]. They know damn well they could’ve developed a story where the prince is Black.
He looks Hispanic to me.
Naija Gal, I agree with you. It’s great that there is a mixed couple, or if he’s Creole and just light-skinned, that’s good, too, since not all Black people are brown.
I do think it would’ve been cool to see a (brown-skinned) Black prince, but I’m not in an uproar over this one way or another because it IS just a cartoon, and the cartoon character’s skin tones don’t have to match in order to make for a great story.
That being said, the prince has the same coloring as my little boy, so this will be the perfect prince for him to dress up like!
Well they said Walt Disney was racist…its understandable that in that time there were no black princesses (I’m not saying its right), but I mean damn…She can’t get a black prince? I’ve never seen any black characters in a Disney movie, maybe voices for characters but never a black animated character…it would be nice 4 my niece 2 see a character that can represent her and her future man…Just 2 show not only white girls have fairytale lives.
Naveen sounds like a Middle Eastern name but he kind of looks like a white tanned man. Its not fair that for decades Disney’s been about white characters and now they say they want 2 show adversity and how mixed humans are. But again its understandable.
Tia, why can’t we get some representation? Disney’s been planning the movie since ‘06, before the presidential election. We should get everything the the majority race is entitled 2…
But they kill 2 birds with 1 stone, a black girl and a possibly Middle Eastern man. But, then again black people do come in all shades of brown. Idk. Im glad there’s at least a princess
I do understand the point about having a black prince,but we need to stop always making everything about race. Black females(myself included)need to wake up and realize that maybe their prince won’t be black and that’s ok . What is more is who God wants you to be with not the color of their skin.
I do understand the point about having a black prince,but we need to stop always making everything about race. Black females(myself included)need to wake up and realize that maybe their prince won’t be black and that’s ok . What is more important is who God wants you to be with not the color of their skin.
White people are everywhere. Thats all our children see on TV. There is no pride in being black shown on TV. There is no black love. A WHITE prince with the FIRST black princess suggests that Black men are not good enough. Its good with interracial equality, but what does this say to our young black women about black men. “Are black men not good enough to be prince?” Believe it or not, there is still inequality in the year 2009. i don’t believe that this should be overlooked. “Why couldn’t there be a black man with the black princess?” Thats only fair. there’s white men and white princesses.
My boyfriend is Middle Eastern and he looks like a Irish boy to me. He has no tan or anything unless he goes out in the sun, but I guess Disney could have made Naveen a shade darker. I don’t know the story line. but maybe she met her middle eastern prince from a neighboring land lol. But my boyfriend and I will definitely be buying this dvd when we are married and have children
I had a second look at Naveen and he looks exactly like animated character of my boyfriend would lol. They have the hair, eyes and skin coloring on point lol.
You can’t make everybody happy. If they don’t like the way Disney is writing “their” movie. Then go out and make your own cartoon. Also what message does this send to lighter skinned black people?! Your good enough to call black. But when we make movies you’re not black enough to be in them?!
The thing is black women feel guilty if she’s in the spot light with out a black man by her side. The sad thing is most black men don’t feel that same guilt. When it comes to bring the black women into the spot light with them. For years black men have had light skinned black women or non black women at their sides. When their moments in the sun came up. And if we said something… we were the ghetto jealous black chick. Its okay to be the one in the spot light black women. If a brother isn’t there it doesn’t make you a sale out or any less black.
I do not care if the prince is black. It shows that black women can get any guy there want and desired.Why do we black women always have to be with a black men?
Kay you are right on in everything i am so glad someone shares the same view as me on this.
ARE PEOPLE SERIOUS??? THIS IS CRAZY. EVERYONE SHOULD BE ACCEPTED WHETHER THEY ARE BLACK WHITE YELLOW GREEN PURPLE, IT DOESNT MATTER. AND HE IS NOT EVEN WHITE, HE IS BRAZILIAN AND BRAZILIANS ARE SOMETIMES CONSIDERED OF SPANIS DECENT. BUT IT DOESNT EVEN MATTER. THE POINT IS TO SHOW WHAT THE WOLRD IS NOW AND A CHANGE IN CULTURES. PLEASE JUST BE HAPPY. THIS IS NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE BLACK MAN. I WONT BE SURPRISED IF I SEE A GAY ANIMATED MOVIE FOR KIDS SOON, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD HAS COME TO. GET WITH THE PROGRAM.
WOW
CLEARLY this article isn’t even updated (even though this is old news) because it doesn’t even confirm that the prince IS White!
Maldonian (mythical place in Greece) = Grecian = European = Caucasian = White!
I have absolutely no problem with them making interracial movies but Come On People! Is it really just a coincidence that they do it with the First Black Princess of Disney (sad how late it is)?????
Why do you think that they haven’t done it with the White princesses yet? They’ve had ample opportunity! They are even coming out with Rapunzel after this movie! Why don’t push the message with that one???
It just seems REALLY fishy to me and kinda messed up. All the other stuff people complained about (her being a chambermaid, her old name Maddy, voodoo) didn’t bother me and I think the activist groups were being a lil paranoid with it But this… this, to me.. is expect! I mean it would have been TOO good to have a Big Time Disney movie with JUST Black people in it! You know Disney can’t have Too many Black people on the screen at one time, even if its just an animation! Plus, Disney isn’t comfortable with White America’s ability to support a animation with no White people in it
Well it is about time. I am glad to see this. The truth is that black men want us to have this undying faithfulness and ownership thing with them when they don’t necessarily have it with us. Not all but some do. That is why they date double outside of their race. I wish they just would have made the prince white. Black women are with white men now and this can represent reality for the black women with white or non black men. Go disney!
He looks Hispanic to me. It’s just a damn animated movie though for children. Kids aren’t going to think “oh my god the Black Princess is with a Non-Black prince and that’s bad”. No the kids would only get some bull like that from their parents/relatives, etc.
See what I mean?! Everybody is confused. People don’t know if he’s light skin, hispanic, mixed, brazilian, etc. There is no confusion about the white prince/princess or the indian prince/princess. I understand it’s just a cartoon but it’s the principal of it. @Kay…your right we need to go out & make our own movies for our children (of various skin colors). I know black don’t only come in one color. Until black people start supporting one another more & stop being so relaxed about everything, it’s not gonna happen. In general, we need to stop making excuses & accepting everything pushed our way. I use to work part time for a company (around the beginning of 2008) & we called people in to conduct a survey (which they were paid for). Well the company had the list broken down by race (yes race)! They wanted 10 or MORE white people, only 2-4 black people & 2-4 other (you be the judge). The people would come in & give there input on items to help the company build a better item (cars, toys, etc.). You tell me who’s input they seek the most??? So the next time you buy a car, toy or various items for that matter, know that it wasn’t made by you. I quit because I’m looking around thinking it’s mostly black people working to get these people in here & keep money in the company’s pocket. But we’re not good enough to give our equal amount of input for these items! I’ll say it again, wake up black people!
To add to my comment earlier, I also think that we as adults are looking way too deep (as usual) into the situation. I guarantee you the average child won’t even care about the color of the prince when watching the movie.
PEOPLE find anything to complain about TIana is black as hell! nobody looks like that and now they have this prince who by the way look lightskinned to me. Its the same when alicia keys possed as michelle obama. who cares what complexion God made you we ALL black!!
She is dark enough for the both of them. Therefore, if they have children, they will definitely be black. It is really okay people. Besides, I am a black woman who loves men of other nationalities. Do you really think that black men would be this upset if they were portrayed in a movie with a Caucasian, Hispanic, Italian, etc. woman, I DO NOT THINK SO. Wake up black women, and love yourselves, and realize that your opportunities are endless–whether in your career, goals, or choosing a man.
To Lauren Nicole
It may seem like the children are colorblind but trust me their NOT. They just don’t have the mental capacity to understand the significance of anything subliminal. That’s why they have parents who can protect them from those messages.
I think God does that on purpose. It would have ruined my childhood to find out how many people that I looked up to were actually racist and against me.
Just remember that Its not ‘normal’ for children to grow up in countries where the majority population doesn’t reflect their heritage. That’s why minorities in America have such a hard time.
TLCHILD @your comment…Wake up black women, and love yourselves, and realize that your opportunities are endless–whether in your career, goals, or choosing a man. It’s not about loving ourselves (WTH)! Well at least that’s not the case for me (can’t speak for everyone). I’m a black woman, married to & in love with a wonderful black man (yes they’re still out there). I’ve worked with various agencies within the Federal Government throughout my 11 year career (to date). The part time job helped me do the extra things I like to do, due to the screwed up housing market. So trust & believe I’m not an uneducated woman; sitting around hating myself; making bad decisions. I’m speaking on racism blatantly in our face. I work around it; see it daily & I’m not cool with “Racism that comes to me with a smile”, period. You can keep living in your prefect little bubble if you choose to. Our children can’t even learn “REAL” black history within the school system anymore. They would to take that courses in college to even get any real knowledge or learn from us. With minds as tainted as they are, what can we possibly teach our children about “THEIR” heritage??? Between the dummies that choose to kill each other off; the non-support we have for one another and mixing of our race; we’ll be wiped off the map sooner or later. We appear to be the only race that just can’t stick together. Now you wake up!
OK Suitepuma,
I can sit and disagree with you all day but I’d rather respect your opinion and leave it at that. As a mother of a biracial child, I will TELL YOU that my child has no concept of race, she cannot see past two parents who love her. My daughter just turned four, therefore she is not cognitively aware when watching films of the number of Caucasian people on a show versus the number of African Americans. Yes, she will learn, but keyword.. when she is OLDER. I would love to talk more about social construction and the concept of race but that was not what my post was about. All I said, (and I still stand by) is that children just want to see a good movie, its the parents that usually dig deeper. Its not that serious… lets be happy for the 1st black princess.
Omg, black people will always find something to complain about, it doesn’t matter I swear, we ain’t never happy.
Now I understand what some of my white classmates are saying, any little thing.
This is just a movie, it’s just a movie. If your are taking this seriously it’s probally because you watch to much television.
There are no such things as princes and princess everyone’s pretty much an asshole
@ Suitepuma and Realist: Kudos!Thanks for telling it like it is, sometimes the truth isn’t pretty.
Realist, first of all, I do not look to Caucasian people to make me feel important. If Black people have a problem with Disney now deciding to make a Black princess, but the prince does not look Black enough, then create your own film similar to how Disney does its films. I look it at it like this, Disney can choose to do whatever they want, just like you have choices in life. I do not know who you are, where did you get the idea that I am acting as though you are uneducated. I really think you need to talk to someone, and not me. If you are a Black woman who loves yourself, then obviously, I am not speaking to you. Therefore, for you to defend a statement that was not targeted at you, but to those who may not love themselves, shows that you sure have a lot boiled up inside. I will say that you know me very well, because I do live in a perfect little bubble. Being that I have lived in states where there are only 1% Blacks, and never experienced racism, is well taken care of, almost finished with my Master’s degree, do not have any children, doing it the right way, and most importantly, is loved by God, you are right on. I know that there is racism in the world, but I am not a Black woman who feels as though, if something is done positively towards me, or if I am portrayed positively in the media, a WHITE PERSON has to do it. I cannot believe that I am having a discussion based on a DISNEY FILM—LOL. Once again, I was not making a comment in order to start a debate; I was speaking hypothetically, there is no way that I would think that ALL BLACK WOMEN do not love themselves, because I am a BLACK WOMAN, and I stated: “Wake up black women, and love yourselves, and realize that your opportunities are endless–whether in your career, goals, or choosing a man.” Therefore, take your anger out on someone else, and not those who you do not know personally, they should not have that much affect on your happiness.
Its about MONEY…period! If you think Disney looked at themselves and thought… “Its not right that we never had a black lead character. So lets write one”. You are fooling your self. Disney wants the most profit they can get. So we can cry and b*tch about it or be proactive. WRITE YOUR OWN CARTOON!!! and shop it around. Maybe it will get made one day. Stop waiting for some company to do something for you. But for me I’m going to see this movie. Because we have a dark skinned princess. And for me that is more important than making sure a brother is by her side.