‘The Princess and the Frog’ Star Anika Noni Rose Speaks Out on Disney+ Series Being Shelved: “Deeply Disappointed”

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Following the cancellation of the princess series for Tiana by Walt Disney Animation Studios, its initial lead actress, Anika Noni Rose, has expressed her thoughts publicly regarding this choice.

On Tuesday, the actress who lent her voice to Princess Tiana in Disney’s 2009 movie “The Princess and the Frog” shared her thoughts on the news that the series was canceled, which was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter on March 3.

She stated last week that the TV show, Tiana, has been canceled. On Instagram, she mentioned receiving numerous messages filled with kindness, support, and deep sadness.

I’m equally disheartened that Tiana’s story didn’t get a chance to continue in series form as planned. It was eagerly anticipated, and there was an immense amount of dedication poured into it by everyone who worked on it, including Jenn Lee, Joyce Sherri, the talented animators, and the outstanding music team,” she went on to say, acknowledging the hard work of these individuals.

Even though it’s painful to see something you’ve poured so much heart and soul into being cut short, I’m hoping that when the ‘Tiana Special Event’ airs, all of your devoted fans who have been advocating not only for the series but also a sequel to ‘The Princess And The Frog’, will tune in.

Later, she motivated fans of the initial movie to “demonstrate your affection and craving through attendance” and “turn that longing into a tangible and genuine reality.

For now, we’ll keep pushing ourselves to provide you with the most stunning content possible,” she summarized.

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A post shared by Anika Noni Rose (@anikaaroundtheworld)

The Tiana series, initially announced in December 2020 and planned as a musical with Rose reprising her role as Tiana, faced challenges during production due to high costs. According to insiders, despite the best efforts made, the series could not reach its intended level, ultimately failing to materialize.

The animation studio is reportedly creating a standalone short film, drawing inspiration from “The Princess and the Frog”. This project is still in its initial stages, with Sherri serving both as writer and director, while Steve Anderson is also involved as a director.

15 years ago last December, “The Princess and the Frog” marked its anniversary. In a conversation with People magazine, Rose expressed amazement at the effect Tiana had on young girls back then and continues to have now, as she noted that Tiana has allowed her to connect with children in a unique way. Furthermore, Rose has observed kids of various ethnicities and backgrounds donning Tiana’s iconic green dress at various events.

She remarked, ‘Growing up, Black and brown-skinned adults like myself were constantly striving to meet a different ideal of beauty. However, the new generation of children are self-assured in unique ways.’ She continued, ‘These young ones don’t give it a second thought when they put on their Tiana dress. They won’t accept being told they’re not Tiana. It’s not about the color of their skin; they still feel like the character Tiana.’

The animated film titled “The Princess and the Frog” was premiered on December 11, 2009. A talented cast including Bruno Campos, Jennifer Cody, Keith David, Randy Newman, John Goodman, and Oprah Winfrey provided their voices. This Disney production is a captivating fairy tale that unfolds in Jazz Age-era New Orleans, revolving around the story of young Princess Tiana and a frog prince who yearns to regain his human form.

Pamela McClintock contributed to this story.

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2025-03-11 23:55