The Princess and the Frog

Episode SummaryErin and Rachel hop on down to 1920’s New Orleans, where Disney’s first Black princess spends most of her time as a frog in the Louisiana bayou. The Princess and the Frog (2010) provided much needed representation, but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of its race, class, and gender politics. Episode BibliographyThe 82nd Academy Awards | 2010. (n.d.). Oscars. https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2010/P?qt-honorees=1#block-quicktabs-honoreesAyres, C. (2009, December 12). The Princess and the Frog: Disney’s black fairytale. The Times. https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-princess-and-the-frog-disneys-black-fairytale-lcpnw3pj3jcBaker, E.D. (2002). The Frog Princess. Bloomsbury.Barnes, B. (2009, May 29). Her Prince Has Come. Critics, Too. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/fashion/31disney.htmlBreaux, R. M. (2010). After 75 years of magic: Disney answers its critics, rewrites African American history, and cashes in on its racist past. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 398-416. doi: 10.1007/s12111-010-9139-9Chang, J. (2009, November 24). The Princess and the Frog. Variety. https://variety.com/2009/digital/features/the-princess-and-the-frog-1200477289/Davis, A.M. (2014). Handsome heroes and vile villains: Men in Disney’s feature animation. John Libbey & Company. Debruge, P. (2016, November 22). Disney's Pixar Acquisition: Bob Iger, John Lasseter Reanimated Studio. Variety. https://variety.com/2016/film/features/disney-pixar-acquisition-bob-iger-john-lasseter-1201923719/Disney Archives, The. (2025, January 14). The Princess and the Frog - Magic in the Bayou: The Making of a Princess. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Gfgey_Oc8Disney Enterprises, Inc. (2009). The Princess and the Frog Production Notes. Oscars.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20100408202417/http://www.oscars.org/press/presskits/nominations/pdf/princess_and_the_frog.pdfEbert, R. (2009, December 9). At Disney, they still remember how to make movies like they used to movie review (2009). RogerEbert.com. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-princess-and-the-frog-2009Firehouse Five Plus Two - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firehouse_Five_Plus_TwoFoundas, S. (2009, December 10). The Princess and the Frog. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture/the-princess-and-the-frog-6405784/Frog Prince, The. (2025, October 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frog_PrinceGallo, P. (2006, February 28). Mouse inks music man. Variety. https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/mouse-inks-music-man-1117939042/Gehlawat, A. (2010). The strange case of "The Princess and the Frog:" Passing and the elision of race. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 417-431. doi: 10.1007/s12111-010-9126-1Gilchrist, T. (2009, October 23). Interview: 'Princess and the Frog' Directors Ron Clements and John Musker. Moviefone. https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054004/http://news.moviefone.com/2009/10/23/interview-princess-and-the-frog-directors-ron-clements-and-jo/Gregory, S. M. (2010). Disney’s second line: New Orleans, racial masquerade, and the reproduction of whiteness in The Princess and the Frog. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 432-449. doi: 10.1007/s12111-010-9138-xGuerrero, E. (1993). The Black image in protective custody: Hollywood’s biracial buddy films of the eighties. In M. Diawara (Ed.), Black American cinema (pp. 237–246). Routledge.Hill, J. (2006, November 12). Monday Mouse Watch: Why a change of composers on “The Frog Princess” caused lots of WDFA staffers to lose their composure. Jim Hill Media. https://limegreen-loris-912771.hostingersite.com/monday-mouse-watch-why-a-change-of-composers-on-the-frog-princess-caused-lots-of-wdfa-staffers-to-lose-their-composure/Holt, K. (2006, June 23). Rhett Wickham: It's Baaack! Laughing Place. https://www.laughingplace.com/news-id510530.aspHoneycutt, K. (2009, November 24). The Princess and the Frog — Film Review. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/princess-frog-film-review-93780/Kayembe, B. (2021, March 9). Why are we still depicting Black women as 'Mammies'? Shado Mag. https://shado-mag.com/articles/opinion/why-are-we-still-depicting-black-women-as-mammies/Killer Reviews Staff. (2009). The Princess and the Frog Filmmakers Interview. Killer Reviews. https://web.archive.org/web/20100829054531/http://www.killerreviews.com/dispinterview.php?intid=1859King, C.R., Bloodsworth-Lugo, M.K., & Lugo-Lugo, C.R. (2010). Animated representations of Blackness. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 395-397. doi: 10.1007/s12111-010-9141-2King, S. (2009, November 22). Q & A with ‘Princess and the Frog’ animators. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-22-la-ca-princess22-2009nov22-story.htmlLeah Chase. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leah_ChaseLeap of Faith: The Princess and the Frog. (2010, January 17). The Independent. https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/features/leap-of-faith-the-princess-and-the-frog-1870801.htmlLester, N. A. (2010). Disney’s The Princess and the Frog: The pride, the pressure, and the politics of being a first. The Journal of American Culture, 33(4), 294-307. Malkin, M. (2007, February 5). Alicia Keys into Next Movie Role. E! Online. https://web.archive.org/web/20070210054735/http://www.eonline.com/gossip/planetgossip/blog/index.jsp?uuid=d21d0e39-9f0d-4b01-b81d-3989932f34abMcGee, A.M. (2012). Haitian vodou and voodoo: Imagined religion and popular culture. Studies in Religion, 41(2). doi: 10.1177/0008429812441311Misick, B. (2020, October 29). Controversy Over 'The Princess and the Frog'. Essence Magazine. https://www.essence.com/news/critics-dispute-princess-and-the-frog/Moffitt, K. R. (2019). Scripting the way for the 21st-century Disney princess in The Princess and the Frog. Women's Studies in Communication, 42(4), 471-489. doi: 10.1080/07491409.2019.1669757Moffitt, K. R., & Harris, H. E. (2014). Of negation, princesses, beauty, and work: Black mothers reflect on Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Howard Journal of Communications, 25(1), 56–76. doi:10.1080/10646175.2014.865354Myrlados, A. (2021, January 18). The Princess and The Frog: A case in cultural revisionism. The Enlightenment. https://lifeisgoodblog.com/2021/01/18/princess-and-frog-cultural-revisionism/Ness, M. (2016, June 2). The End of an Era: Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Reactor. https://reactormag.com/the-end-of-an-era-disneys-the-princess-and-the-frog/New Orleans Voodoo. (2025). New Orleans. https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/traditions/voodoo/Noyer, J. (2010, June 1). The Princess And The Frog's Directors John Musker and Ron Clements take us to “the other side” of animation! Animated Views. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://animatedviews.com/2010/the-princess-and-the-frog-directors-john-musker-and-ron-clements-take-us-to-the-other-side-of-animation/Panaram, S., Rogers, H., & Stoddard, T. (n.d.). The Princess and the Frog: Rewriting Jazz Age History and Culture. The Black Atlantic. https://sites.duke.edu/blackatlantic/sample-page/contemporary-film-and-black-atlantic/history/disneyfied-histories-disneys-intentional-inaccuracy-historical-films-and-the-black-atlantic/the-princess-and-the-frog-and-rewriting-jazz-age-history-and-culture/Parasecoli, F. (2010). A taste of Louisiana: Mainstreaming Blackness through food in The Princess and the Frog. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 450-468. doi:  10.1007/s12111-010-9137-yPérez, E. (2021). “I got voodoo, I got hoodoo”: Ethnography and its objects in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Material Religion, 17(1), 56-80. doi: 10.1080/17432200.2021.1977954Pinsky, M. I. (2010, January 7). What Walt Wrought. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703580904574638143338424878The Princess and the Frog. (n.d.). Box Office Mojo. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3916137985/Robertson, B. (2010, January). The Tradition Lives On. Computer Graphics World. https://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2010/Volume-33-Issue-1-Jan-2010-/The-Tradition-Lives-On.aspxRoush, G. (2009, October 21). Interview: Princess And The Frog Directors John Musker And Ron Clements. Plus 7 Brand New Images! LatinoReview.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20091022114309/http://www.latinoreview.com/news/interview-princess-and-the-frog-directors-john-musker-and-ron-clements-plus-7-brand-new-images-8310Schwarzbaum, L. (2009, December 18). The Princess and the Frog. Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/article/2009/12/18/princess-and-frog-2/Sciretta, P. (2009, 28 February). WonderCon: The Princess And The Frog And The Future Of 2D Animation At Disney. Slash Film. https://www.slashfilm.com/502703/wondercon-the-princess-and-the-frog-and-the-future-of-2d-aniamtion-at-disney/Scott, M. (2009, November 22). New Orleans setting for 'Princess and the Frog' is a Disney dream come true for one man. NOLA.com. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/new-orleans-setting-for-princess-and-the-frog-is-a-disney-dream-come-true-for/article_c84036c3-ff1c-5fcd-94e3-9f7e916b774e.htmlScott, N. (2009, December 12). For 'Princess and the Frog,' Disney animators go back to the drawing board. NOLA.com. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/for-princess-and-the-frog-disney-animators-go-back-to-the-drawing-board/article_70787df8-b6ee-575d-9a0e-f1648f40cced.htmlSharkey, B. (2009, November 25). Review: 'The Princess and the Frog'. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-25-la-et-princess25-2009nov25-story.htmlTaylar. (2022, November 12). The Firehouse Five Plus Two - Disney's Jazz Band. The Disney Classics. https://www.thedisneyclassics.com/blog/firehouse-five-plus-twoTejada, A. (2020, July 14). Representation Without Transformation: Can Hollywood Stop Changing Cartoon Characters of Color? Reactor. https://reactormag.com/representation-without-transformation-can-hollywood-stop-changing-cartoon-characters-of-color/Terry, E.J. (2010). Rural as racialized plantation vs rural as modern reconnection: Blackness and agency in Disney’s Song of the South and The Princess and the Frog. Journal of African American Studies, 14(4), 469-481. doi: 10.1007/s12111-010-9132-3Turner, S.E. (2013). Blackness, bayous and gumbo: Encoding and decoding race in a colorblind world. In Cheu, J. (Ed.), Diversity in Disney films: Critical essays on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and disability (pp. 83-98). McFarland & Company.Update: Princess Anika and the Frog. (n.d.). E! News. https://www.eonline.com/news/59173/update-princess-anika-and-the-frogWhelan, B. (2012). Power to the princess: Disney and the creation of the 20th century princess narrative. Interdisciplinary Humanities, 29(1), 21–34.Wloszczyna, S. (n.d.). Enchanting return to 2-D: Disney animation conjures magical kingdom of yore. USA Today. https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20070503/d_cover03.art.htm