Anika Noni Rose Gets Emotional About Disneyland's New Tiana Ride 15 Years After Film: 'The People's Princess' (Exclusive)

11/14/2024 07:19 PM

The star who voiced Tiana in 2009's 'Princess and the Frog' reflects on the significance of being the first Black Disney princess, now with her own attraction

Almost there!

After much pomp and circumstance Disneyland's newest attraction Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens this week and actress Anika Noni Rose, who held court at the opening celebration at Disneyland on Nov. 13, has a lot of feelings about it.

"The ride is absolutely beautiful," says Rose, 52, who has famously voiced Princess Tiana since the groundbreaking 2009 animated film. This week she and her family got a chance to ride the attraction, which has replaced Splash Mountain, ahead of its official opening to the public on Nov. 15.

As for the much-talked about drop at the end of the ride, "I love it," she says. "I'm a drop girl, a Tower of Terror girl, so I'm all about the drop."

She's also all about what this moment means to fans. "What's remarkable about this is how personal it is," says Rose, whose voice and likeness helped usher in the world's first Black Disney princess 15 years ago.

Related: Disney Execs Admit They Feel Pressure Replacing Splash Mountain, Creating Tiana's Bayou Adventure

"People come up to me all the time, telling me what it has meant to them either during their childhood or now as grown ups. It's very moving. It's beautiful and remains something that feels very personal and special to me."

Thinking back 15 years ago, "I have the same type of wonder and excitement. When I first saw the movie, my nephew, who was here today, was with me. He was 19, now he's 30. My grandmother was with me. It was the last experience that she got to have with me and she knew what was happening in that time period."

Princess Tiana is now making history again as the first Black Disney princess with her own attraction at both Disney World and now Disneyland. "It feels like progress is what it feels like," says Rose of this moment.

Related: Anika Noni Rose Reflects on Playing the First Black Disney Princess: 'People's Minds Were Opened'

She continues, "It feels like we're being represented in a more whole and integral way. It's quite beautiful for the children who will come through here and see themselves or see their friends or loved ones represented in this space."

Another thing she's proud to shine a light on: New Orleans, the iconic city at the heart of the movie and new ride.

"We're also paying great tribute to New Orleans and their culture," she says, "which is something more American than I think America is. It is actually a melting pot. This speaks volumes in this particular time period."

During the opening celebration, which took place in the park's New Orleans Square and showcased savory foods and beignets from new restaurant Tiana's Palace, Rose reunited with her fellow voice actors from the film including Jenifer Lewis, who voiced Mama Odie.

To end the night they climbed aboard the park's Mark Twain steamboat and performed songs from the soundtrack including Rose's inspirational hit "Almost There," as well as a new song written by P.J. Morton specifically for the new ride.

"I feel love and support poured into me as I walk through the streets of Disney," says Rose, taking it all in. "Somebody yelled to me today, and I've heard it a lot in the past few months, they yelled 'It's the People's Princess!' That is deeply moving to me. I'm very honored by that."