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The iconic voices of Disney Princesses Ariel, Belle, Jasmine and Tiana reveal some of the most magical fan moments that made their dreams come true.
Fresh from the turbulent D23 Expo, Jodi Benson (Ariel in The Little Mermaid), Linda Larkin (Princess Jasmine in Aladdin), Paige O’Hara (Belle in Beauty and the Beast) and Anika Noni Rose (Tiana in Kiss the frog) has partnered with Walt Disney Co. to celebrate the new Disney Princess campaign, “Create Your World.” The company launched the initiative on August 13 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in Anaheim, California, where it unveiled new toys, clothing, accessories and more from American Girl, Janie & Jack, Lego, Mattel, Funko, Loungefly, Diff Eyewear, Tweezerman, Unique Vintage and other brands, plus Disney’s augmented reality experience Portal to the Princesses and a new YouTube series.
Disney’s campaign takes place ahead of World Princess Week (25-31 August). Tracy Thurman, vice president of global product design at Disney Consumer Products, said The Hollywood Reporter that the new products are inspired by the children themselves and represent the first crossover between the worlds of the Disney princesses.
“One of the things we did was look at how kids play with our characters. In the past, we kept all the stories very separate. So if you had Belle, she would have a very specific story and a very specific way of playing that story,” says Thurman. “We found that kids imagine all princesses as friends, and so we wanted to give them the opportunity to play that way… That’s a pretty significant thing we realized: It’s just how kids play and imagine things that go beyond the stories they see in the movies. In their real world, that’s how they want to interact with our princesses.”
The four Disney legends also sat down with THR to talk about some of the most memorable moments they’ve shared with their fans, and their best life advice for anyone chasing a dream. Read on below to learn more (including why Benson says she’s proud to call herself “a hot mess”), then see and shop some of the new Disney Princess product launches below.
Like many kids, I was a huge fan of all the Disney Princess movies, and my inner 9-year-old self thinks I have the best job right now. I’m sure you hear so many similar stories from fans. Are there any particular memorable moments from the past few years that come to mind first and You want to share?
LARKIN There was a time when I met a girl who told me that she had been bullied as a child, and that when Aladdin came out and she saw the strength that Princess Jasmine had and she felt that it gave her the courage to stand up for herself and assert herself in a world that she felt was harsh. She was really emotional remembering that and saying, ‘Thank you for being a part of this character,’ because it really helped her have courage in her own life as a child.
Unique Tiana swing dress from the vintage Disney Princess collection
ROSE Many years ago, shortly before Kiss the frog came out, a parent tweeted me that their child loved the movie and watched it on repeat. But the child was nonverbal autistic and started talking and singing along to my song. (The mother) was in another room and heard this voice she didn’t recognize and she went into the living room and the child was singing because it was there. And it is the most remarkable, most incredible goosebumps feeling. It was incredible and remains incredible.
BENSON I think the ones that always touch you are obviously the ones with kids. Like Anika said, when they have movies and characters that they can connect with, it’s on loop. Over all these years, I’m always blown away by how much my character Ariel and the movie, but also the song “Part of Your World,” impacts kids, that they can really connect. I worked with a children’s hospital in Michigan that was a burn unit, probably about 10 years after the movie came out. And several of the kids used the song in the video during their treatment. Now, those treatments, from what I understand, are incredibly painful and take a long time. The fact that they can wear their headphones, watch that and listen to that, that the music (and) the lyrics are very healing. It has this incredible effect on them to be able to endure and get through that treatment. The parents are just so grateful when their child can make that kind of connection. So it’s overwhelming, I think, for me to recognize that impact that character has had on so many families. And I’m just very grateful and happy to be a part of their journey.
Tweezerman Disney’s Happily Ever After Eyelash Curler
O’HARA I was just at a fan event (605 Pop Culture Con by) Voices for Cancer in Sioux Falls three weeks ago. It was mainly to raise money for kids with cancer. So I got to meet 30 of these kids over the weekend and spend time with them. And they talked about all of us and how we inspired them all. A little girl got cancer at three years old and her mom told me she was watching Beauty and the Beast over and over again (and said), “I want to be like Belle.” She survived. And (the mother) said, “I want you to meet her because this is her story.” And here comes this young woman, she’s (about) 19 years old, and she said, “I finally feel so free. I wouldn’t have survived this whole life without all the princesses.”
And she said, “I could relate to Belle because she has brown hair and brown eyes like me, and I love reading.” And I said, “Maybe you should write a children’s book.” She said, “I’m writing a book for adults about struggle and survival and how to fight your fears.” We’ll stay in touch, I made sure we follow her journey.
Mattel Disney Princess Transformable Carriage Ride to the Castle Playset
Jodi, you wrote in your book about the advice you wish you had received. What advice would you give to anyone who wants to do what you do or who is trying to figure out how to achieve their dreams?
O’HARA All I’m saying is, if you have a dream, follow it. (Anika) has said before that it’s OK to fail because so many of us go through such hard times when we feel like we’re not successful. It’s OK to fail and then just get back up and try again and ask for help. She’s absolutely right about that.
Diff Eyewear Ariel Sunglasses
American Girl Disney Princess Cinderella Doll Bundle
BENSON And I think I have no regrets. That’s something I can say at my age and share with my kids: I can actually say I have absolutely no regrets. And that’s such a great gift. As Anika said (in another conversation), failure is a failure on the way forward. And at my age, I really don’t care what others think of me. I am who I am, whether you like it or not. I’m OK with that because I love myself and I’m happy with who I am. I’m happy with who I am. So I think I encourage young people to keep going and try. And when you fail, you keep moving. You’re moving in the direction you’re supposed to go.
Also, I feel like people want what others have. This “compare and compete” mindset is so dangerous. I know we tell my kids in their twenties to just be who they are and be happy with that. But “compare and compete” never works. So if I want Anika’s dream or Linda’s or Paige’s dream, then I’ve missed my own. What is “make me” won’t miss me. What is “make her” won’t miss her. Each of us has our own identity and we have the opportunity to fail forward and find our own way. But I think living without regrets brings so much freedom. That’s true. I’m freer now than I’ve ever been in my life, the freedom to just be who I am, with all my mess, because I’m a hot mess! You can talk to my husband about it; after 44 years, I’m a hot mess! But I like my mess, I like who I am. I feel like I’m just learning this about myself.
LARKIN My message to young people who want to pursue a dream in the creative arts, or any dream really, is to follow what you love first. And then when you feel fear, when that creeps in, do it anyway. Just keep going. So that would be my message.
