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Deconstructing DisneyAuthor: Rachel Casey, Erin Casey
Two life-long Disney fans take on the Disney film catalog, beginning with the animated features, and discuss with a critical lens. New episodes the first Tuesday of every month. @DeconDisney on social media. Language: en Genres: Film History, Film Reviews, TV & Film Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Princess and the Frog
Episode 62
Sunday, 23 November, 2025
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
