6 Enchanting Facts About ‘The Princess and the Frog’ (Including Tiana’s Inspiration)

Did you know that dreams really do come true in New Orleans? Disney’s The Princess and the Frog tells us that if we dream big and work hard, nothing is impossible.

The Princess and the Frog brought back the wonder and enchantment of the Disney Renaissance of the ‘90s. The hand-drawn animation and jazzy music reminded fans of classics like The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. And now, as the 49th film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Princess and the Frog has become a classic in its own right.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the facts behind what made this film so enchanting.

1. Tiana Was Modeled After Anika Noni Rose
2. The Queen of Creole Cuisine Inspired Tiana
3. How Randy Newman Was Booked
4. There Are References to Other Disney Movies
5. And There Are Other Disney Easter Eggs
6. The Princess and the Frog Marked Disney Firsts and Lasts

Tiana Was Modeled After Anika Noni Rose

When creating Tiana, the animators added similarities to the actress who voices her, Anika Noni Rose. Rose asked if Tiana could be left-handed because she is left-handed. The animators also gave Tiana dimples to match Rose. The animators listened to Rose’s suggestions to make a unique character.

“When I saw [Tiana] for the first time and realized how much she looked like me, I was really blown away,” the actress recalled.

The Queen of Creole Cuisine Inspired Tiana

In early versions of the film, Tiana was going to be a chambermaid. After listening to the Black community, however, filmmakers changed Tiana’s job and her dream. They did research on Leah Chase, a legend in Creole cooking and African American arts, and knew that Tiana should be based on such an influential figure.

How Randy Newman Was Booked

The directors of The Princess and the Frog, Ron Clements and John Musker, had reportedly selected Alan Menken to write the music for the film. Menken is a Disney Legend who has composed music for many Disney films, but he was already working on Disney’s Enchanted at the time production began.

So, the directors ended up asking Randy Newman to take the job instead. Newman wrote the music for the Toy Story movies, but he was also perfect for this film since he grew up in New Orleans and was an expert in composing jazz music.

There Are References to Other Disney Movies

Animators wanted The Princess and the Frog to look and feel very much like older Disney movies. That is why they used traditional, hand-drawn animation. For the city scenes, especially when showing the La Bouff house at the end of the street, the animators referenced Lady and the Tramp. The bayou scenes referenced Bambi.

The directors felt that these films were “the peak of animation in the classic Disney animation style.”

And There Are Other Disney Easter Eggs

There are many Easter eggs from other Disney films in The Princess and the Frog.

During the song “Down in New Orleans,” a woman can be seen shaking out Aladdin’s magic carpet. The trolley Tiana rides to work has the famous A113, referencing the filmmakers’ old university classroom. A scene with a group of birds flying off is straight from The Lion King.

Aladdin’s lamp can also be seen in Mama Odie’s house. Ariel’s father, King Triton, is one of the floats in the Mardi Gras parade, and Madame Leota from The Haunted Mansion ride is one of the voodoo masks that appear to drag Dr. Facilier away.

The Princess and the Frog Marked Disney Firsts and Lasts

The Princess and the Frog is a film of many firsts. It is the first Disney princess film to take place in the modern era. Tiana is the first Black princess, which marked a huge step in representation. The film is the first to have the same actors voicing and singing for their characters since Beauty and the Beast.

It also holds the title of the last princess film to use hand-drawn animation. The only other film to use the traditional animation technique was 2011’s Winnie the Pooh.

The magic of The Princess and the Frog is in the details, and each unique detail made this film an enchanting classic. Maybe if we all wish upon a star, we could get a sequel someday?

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