1992: Jasmine Up until now, all the Disney princesses were white. It wasn't until Aladdin's Jasmine (voiced by Linda Larkin) that fans saw their first Disney princess of color.
There are even a few times that Aladdin points out Jasmine's intelligence and ambition, a rarity for Disney. Jasmine is also the first Disney princess of color, a revolutionary move at the time.
Anika Noni Rose opens up about her legacy as the 1st Black Disney princess. The actor who voiced Princess Tiana in the 2009 animated film "The Princess and the Frog" is opening up about her legacy portraying the groundbreaking character.
As for whether Elsa and Anna are white … the Northuldra are modeled on the Sami, an indigenous people scattered across northern Scandinavia and northwestern Russia who have faced a great deal of discrimination, but there's a lot of disagreement about the genetic and linguistic origins of Sami to this day.
Tiana is recognized for being Disney's first African American princess. As the film's writers and directors, Clements and Musker claim that their decision to depict Tiana as an African American young woman came naturally simply as a result of the location in which the story takes place.
While some claim Jasmine is Arab because the movie opens with a song called Arabian Nights, others believe that the architecture in Agrabah is clearly based on the Taj Mahal, making Jasmine Indian. It's a debate that has fueled speculation that in Hollywood, Indians and Arabs are interchangeable.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came out in 1937, debuting the very first Disney princess with Snow White herself. Voiced by Adriana Caselotti, she's incredibly of her time (i.e. dated af).
A Syrian named Hanna Diyab did apparently meet with Galland at some point, but it remains unclear how much, if any, of the story came from him. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab.
Moana strays away from the typical story of a Disney princess film. She does not have to be saved by a man, and end up with her “Prince Charming.” Moana is independent from the beginning, a strong leader, resilient, and she is not white!
In Disney's nearly 100-year history, there has been only one Black Disney princess — Princess Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog,” a 2009 animated feature starring Anika Noni Rose. The singer Brandy starred in a 1997 made-for-TV film version of “Cinderella,” a remake of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
Princess Ananya, has been confirmed by the team, but they have also added that it's quite in the early stages and the team isn't even close to launching her. Having grown up with Ariel, Elsa, Rapunzel, and Snow White, having a Disney Indian princess is a big step towards cultural representation.
Moana's age, 16, is less of an issue in her story as it doesn't include a romantic plot, but it still relies on a young girl to overcome dangerous challenges and save the world. Disney princesses have always had an age problem, with characters as young as 14 falling in love, defying parents, and getting married.
Academy Award-winner Ariana DeBose will portray the first Afro-Latina princess. The trailer for Disney's latest animation film, Wish, is here, and we're already in love with the leading princess, voiced by West Side Story Academy Award-winning actress Ariana DeBose.
Her name is Elena, and she hails from Avalor — a fictional place that draws from several real-world cultures. Elena is Latina. Which makes her the animation giant's first-ever Latina princess.
Although he is much more than a representational milestone, it's noteworthy that Ethan is the first biracial queer teenage main character in an animated Disney film.
