The Princess and the Frog, a 2009 animated film from Disney, captivated audiences with its lively music, colorful visuals, and modern take on the classic frog prince story. Underneath the magic, however, is a long and fascinating history full of unexpected facts. We discovered 15 little-known secrets that reveal the untold story behind this beloved family film after conducting extensive research into its origins, production, and cultural impact.
The Original Storyline was much Darker
Early versions of The Princess and the Frog had a decidedly more mature tone. In the early drafts, the shadow man villain Facilier was envisioned as a voodoo gang leader ruling over a dangerous New Orleans underworld.
The city would have been depicted as seedy and crime-ridden, teeming with Facilier’s henchmen. In one scene, Facilier even transformed a man into a goat as punishment.
Ultimately, these elements were reduced to make the film more family-friendly. The final film still contains hints of Facilier’s creepiness, such as his song “Friends on the Other Side” with its dark imagery of ghosts and demons. However, the original sinister storyline was scrapped.
Disney Struggled to Find the Appropriate time Period for the Film
The Princess and the Frog is set in 1920s New Orleans and heavily features jazz music. However, Disney found it difficult to decide on the Jazz Age aesthetic. Early ideas included settings from the Civil War and antebellum eras. There was even talk of a contemporary timeline more akin to 2009, when the film was released.
Finally, filmmakers chose the jazz-flavored 1920s because the genre allowed for rich visuals and a classic fairy tale feel while avoiding controversy over depicting slavery or contemporary issues such as Hurricane Katrina. The final film skillfully recreates 1920s New Orleans through art deco architecture, flapper fashion, and Dixieland jazz while telling a family-friendly story.
Oprah Winfrey Helped Create Tiana’s Personality
Oprah Winfrey, the talk show icon, consulted on the film and had a significant impact on the portrayal of Tiana’s character. Disney was determined to avoid racial stereotypes when portraying its first Black princess.
With Oprah’s help, they emphasized Tiana’s independence, work ethic, and entrepreneurial spirit, as she aspires to open her own restaurant. Oprah emphasized that these personality traits resulted in a strong female role model without resorting to stereotypes.
Thanks in part to her advice, Tiana emerged as a defiantly non-stereotypical Disney princess who serves as both an African American pioneer for the franchise and an admirable heroine for all audiences.
The film’s score featured authentic New Orleans jazz Musicians
Composers Randy Newman and director Ron Clements prioritized staying true to New Orleans’ distinctive musical sound. Instead of typical Hollywood studio musicians, they hired local jazz legends such as trumpeter Terence Blanchard, clarinetist Michael White, and trombonist Troy Andrews to play on the soundtrack.
Their talents added authentic NOLA flavor to songs like “When We’re Human” and “Down in New Orleans.” Disney also hired renowned Crescent City pianist Davell Crawford, dubbed the “Piano Prince of New Orleans,” to advise on music direction.
This ensured that the groundbreaking Princess and the Frog soundtrack retained its rhythmic, soulful roots in the Dixieland style. From instrumentation to lyrics, the music is reminiscent of authentic Big Easy jazz.
Bruno Campos faced challenges. Voicing Prince Naveen
Taking on the role of a Disney prince has its own set of demands, particularly in terms of singing. Bruno Campos, a Brazilian actor, won the role of Prince Naveen due to his natural charisma. However, directors quickly discovered that Campos struggled to match pitch and deliver musical numbers fluidly.
At first, they assigned stronger singing scenes to guest performers. But finding the right singing double proved nearly impossible, so Disney settled on Campos. They gave him extensive vocal coaching to help him improve his musical abilities in songs like “When We’re Human.” While Campos’ voice is prominently featured throughout the film, it took significant effort behind the scenes to elevate his singing to princely levels.
The animators struggled with Tiana’s hair physics
As Disney’s first African American princess, animators prioritized perfecting Tiana’s trademark curly ‘do. No previous Disney heroines had full-bodied curls. So animating realistic physics for Tiana’s bouncing ringlets required months of trial and error, especially when considering motion during dancing and frog transformation sequences.
Finally, simulation supervisor Marlon West took the lead in creating custom software called “Fizt” to accurately render her spirals and volume. It enabled effects artists to input variables such as humidity and stiffness while also including functionality for clothing friction and collision detection.
The resulting physics engine gave Tiana bouncy, flowing locks that far exceeded previous Disney animation. The changes later improved Rapunzel’s hair animation in Tangled.
Originally, Ray the Firefly Played a much Larger Role
Ray, the charismatic Cajun firefly who befriends Tiana and Naveen, is a popular character. Jim Cummings brings Ray to life with an exaggerated Louisiana accent and contagious enthusiasm.
However, Ray looked very different in early scripts. When the firefly first appeared, he had a sidekick named Mama Odie, an elderly firefly wise woman. Together, they served as framing characters, introducing young viewers to 1920s New Orleans and voodoo. Ray even had an emotional backstory in which he hoped to reunite with a lost love before dying.
Ultimately, the framing scenes were cut, as was Ray’s centered storyline. Nonetheless, his vibrant spirit enchants audiences despite his reduced role.
Disney Animators Visited New Orleans for Research
Authenticity was critical for this fairy tale interpretation of New Orleans. So, before full-scale production began, Disney animation teams went on extensive research trips to the Big Easy to draw inspiration. The artists photographed architecture, foliage, cemetery statues, and bayou landscapes.
They investigated how sunlight passes through hanging Spanish moss and reflects off rippling waters. Close observation of jazz club performances and crowded street parades enables animators to incorporate realistic details into scenes such as the riverboat gala and Mardi Gras celebration.
The end result is one of Disney’s most evocative depictions of place. Hand-painted watercolor backgrounds evoke the vibrancy of 1920s New Orleans.
The facilitator’s Design is inspired by Voodoo Iconography
Dr. Facilier, the Shadow Man villain, has one of Disney’s most bold and stylized character designs, which incorporate sinister voodoo themes. Lead animator Bruce W. Smith drew inspiration from artifact masks, tribal body art, Santeria saints, and West African folklore motifs to create Facilier’s distinct look.
The character’s angular lines, skeletal motifs, top hat, and purple hues all refer to occult objects such as gris gris charms and sacred figurines. Even his name pays homage to Marie Laveau, New Orleans’ notorious Voodoo Queen.
Bruce Smith described Facilier as his most stylized animation creation at Disney, using artistic expression to capture Louisana’s mystical voodoo undercurrents. Many viewers regard Facilier as Disney’s scariest villain because of his creepy portrayal of dark magic.
Tiana Broke Barriers as Disney’s first Black Princess
Tiana’s significance as the first African American Disney Princess cannot be overstated. Her 2009 debut had a significant cultural and social impact on representation in mainstream animation.
However, behind the scenes, the prospect of overseeing such a historic project made the traditionally risk-averse Disney nervous. Creative executives lobbied hard to persuade Disney to cast an African American leading lady.
The bold project finally moved forward with endorsements from heavyweights such as Oprah. Tiana’s release sparked discussion about how Black women are portrayed in entertainment, while also inspiring underrepresented viewers by displaying courage and independence that is rarely seen. Tiana, nearly 95 years after Disney’s founding, gave girls of color their long-awaited breakthrough princess.
The film pays homage to classical Disney
Though The Princess and the Frog represents significant advances in inclusive storytelling and technical filmmaking, it also pays homage to Disney’s earlier works. The film revives traditional hand-drawn animation, which Walt championed.
Character design references include a riverboat from Steamboat Willie and Snow White’s dwarf hatching from an egg when Ray explains his family tree. Dr. Facilier’s top hat and coat resemble the Evil Queen’s witch costume. Linguini from Ratatouille appears as young Tiana’s prince costume in the prologue.
And Louis, the jazz-playing gator, appears to be descended from anthropomorphic animal sidekicks such as Baloo from The Jungle Book. The film bridges the gap between old and new, evoking Disney’s past hallmarks.
The Multiplane Camera Has A Nostalgic Appearance
Another nod to Walt-era innovation comes from multiplane camera technology. This groundbreaking filming device used incremental spacing between animation cels overlaid on backgrounds to generate the illusion of depth in classic films like Bamb. Princess Tiana’s costumes referenced McQueen and Beyoncé.
Creating Tiana’s wardrobe allowed Disney’s talented designers to draw real-world fashion inspiration appropriate for an aspiring 1920s restaurateur. Her signature green gown honored “The Queen of Southern Couture,” renowned African American designer Willi Smith.
Smith’s feminine Halston silhouette inspired Tiana’s off-the-shoulder look and graceful skirt. Later in the film, Tiana dons an elaborate Mardi Gras outfit reminiscent of Beyoncé’s 2007 BET Awards gown embroidered with peacock accents.
Costume details like dangling earrings and wrap headbands add to the 1920s flapper look. However, the gowns are mostly high fashion original creations suitable for Disney royalty.
The Film had Unusually long Delays Before its Release
By the time The Princess and the Frog opened in theaters in 2009, the project had already been delayed for a decade and had to be rewritten. Early pitches for the film were approved by Disney Animation in 2004, with a release date planned for 2007.
However, numerous production setbacks pushed things back, including major changes to the plot and animation techniques, as well as Pixar executives critiquing unpolished story reels. When Frog failed to meet deadlines, the 2007 slot was reassigned to Meet the Robinsons.
The extended timeline does explain the film’s unusually lavish animation budget, which exceeded $100 million due to high overtime fees. After half a lifetime’s worth of anticipation, audiences were finally treated to the future classic fairy tale.
International Releases Proved Controversial
Given cultural complexities, releasing a film about a 1920s New Orleans Black heroine elicited understandable international backlash. In some language editions, sensitive translators had to decide whether to directly translate the word “Princess”. To avoid connotations of Blackness and slavery, the term “Princess” was eventually dropped from nearly all international titles.
Thus, France received “La Princesse et la Grenouille,” and Italy received “Tiana e il Sapo.” Linguistic alternatives such as “Tiana and Froggy” simplified relationships for a diverse global audience.
Does it also cause headaches? Making Tiana’s story about a hardworking waitress pursuing her dreams instead of waiting on a wealthy man clashed with some audiences’ princess expectations. Nuances are easily lost in translation.
The film Score won Several Prestigious Awards
The Princess and the Frog score, driven by renowned New Orleans musicians, captured the essence of jazz while also enhancing emotional storytelling. The stellar musical achievement received high praise across the award circuit, beginning with three Grammy nominations.
Randy Newman won for Best Song Written for Visual Media with the wistful “Down in New Orleans.” At the Oscars, Newman received another Best Original Song nomination for “Almost There,” which conveys Tiana’s aspirations through melody. Newman’s lyrical prowess in matching stirring soundtrack ballads to the film’s poignant themes was undeniable.
Beyond trophies, the film ushered in a new Disney trend of combining animation with Broadway-worthy showtunes performed by top performers.
The Princess and the Frog sparked widespread merchandising success
As Princess Tiana rose through the ranks of Disney royalty, her breakout performance generated unprecedented retail demand for an African American cartoon IP. Disney had cautiously limited early product tie-ins, fearing low interest.
However, hot ticket items such as role-play dresses and dolls quickly sold out. Crazed collectors started paying top dollar for rare Tiana items online. Certain limited edition kids’ costume dresses sold for up to $500 on eBay. Sassy Tiana apparel appeared in girls’ clothing aisles. Her fan base was eager to collect princess-worthy jewelry, home decor, and school supplies featuring Tiana’s face.
The runaway success demonstrated significant marketing potential, prompting Disney to accelerate inclusive initiatives. Clearly, audiences all over the world enjoyed learning more about Tiana’s courageous story.
Conclusion
Disney’s The Princess and the Frog made history by reimagining a beloved fairy tale classic. Behind the family-friendly facade of talking frogs and singing alligators, the production encountered numerous complex creative challenges, particularly as Disney’s first film to feature an African American princess.
Layering themes of working tirelessly to achieve dreams with an upbeat jazz spirit, the film eventually charmed millions around the world while paving the way for more representation in mainstream animation.
Impressively, the film revived artistic interest in Disney’s classic hand-drawn style while telling an inclusive princess story that modern audiences desired. Thanks to a determined production crew willing to take big risks, this successful milestone has earned a timeless place in the Disney canon.