[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtzpFN4tI7k&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

I just took a gander at the most recent trailer (above) and I got so excited about it that I had to share. Doesn’t it look great?!  The first Black Disney princess, Tiana, looks so cute and I love Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) who voices her.  She has such a beautiful voice.  As a bonus, Oprah’s in the movie too, voicing the Princess Tiana’s mother.

There are some things of note that I observed about the movie from the trailer:

1) There was a clear attempt to capture different bits of the New Orleans culture and it’s great that Louisiana’s culture is being shared in such a positive manner, especially after Hurricane Katrina. I’m sure this movie will be enjoyed and celebrated by children and families in Louisiana.  Hopefully. I haven’t seen it yet but I am definitely hoping I won’t be unpleasantly surprised by horrific racial/regional stereotypes.

2) There appears to be another first for Disney beyond having its first Black princess. There is also an interracial couple. Prince Naveen appears to be French or maybe he is Creole, I’ve even heard that he was Indian. Either way, interracial kinda (because Creole, from what I understand since I am Creole and all, is a mix of multiple ethnicities; not just Black). But the only way this couple would not appear to be interracial was if the Prince was drawn to obviously look Black and that is ambiguous at this point.  Therefore, Disney seems to have created doubt about Prince Naveen’s ethnicity on purpose. Has an interracial couple ever happened before in a Disney movie? I know inter-species…Mermaid/human, Beast/Belle, but not interracial. If anyone knows, please post.  I think some may be upset that the Prince is not clearly a Black man, but progress is progress, in my opinion.

3) “I want fingers and toes and a belly button, not the kind that sticks out, but the kind that goes in.”

“Hush up”.

I am definitely looking forward to adding this to my Disney collection.

[polldaddy poll=2274455]