The Princess and the Frog

In 2009, Disney returned to its roots with a hand-drawn musical that felt both classic and fresh. Set against the jazz-soaked backdrop of 1920s New Orleans, the film introduced Tiana, the studio's first Black princess, a milestone that had been 72 years in the making, since Snow White first sang in 1937. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the team behind The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, the movie brought back the fairy-tale formula but gave it a distinctly American twist.

Anika Noni Rose voices Tiana, a waitress who works double shifts to save for her dream restaurant. When a spoiled prince named Naveen rolls into town, a voodoo scheme by the Shadow Man Dr. Facilier goes wrong, turning both of them into frogs. The rest of the film follows their swamp odyssey with a trumpet-playing alligator and a lovesick firefly, all set to Randy Newman's zydeco-infused score.

The film earned $271 million worldwide and three Oscar nominations, including two for Best Original Song. More than a box office hit, it became a cultural touchstone, sparking conversations about representation, reviving hand-drawn animation, and giving little girls a princess who looked like them. Its legacy continues with the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana and the new theme park attraction Tiana's Bayou Adventure.[edit]

Tiana lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans, working as a waitress at two different restaurants while saving every tip and penny. Her father James, who passed away years earlier, instilled in her the belief that hard work makes dreams come true. Her dream is to open her own restaurant, Tiana's Palace, in a rundown building she hopes to buy. Her best friend Charlotte La Bouff, the effervescent daughter of wealthy businessman Big Daddy La Bouff, lives a life of leisure and dreams only of marrying a prince.

Prince Naveen of Maldonia arrives in New Orleans with his valet Lawrence, having been cut off financially by his parents for his irresponsible lifestyle. He plans to marry a rich American heiress, and Charlotte seems the perfect target. Meanwhile, the sinister Dr. Facilier, a voodoo practitioner who makes deals with shadowy spirits, intercepts Naveen and Lawrence. Facilier transforms Naveen into a frog and uses a magical talisman to make Lawrence look like the prince, intending to have Lawrence marry Charlotte and access the La Bouff fortune. Naveen escapes into the bayou as a frog.

At Charlotte's masquerade ball, Tiana, dressed as a princess, encounters the frog who claims to be a prince. Believing a kiss from a princess will break a spell she doesn't yet understand, she kisses him, but instead of turning him human, she becomes a frog herself. The two flee into the bayou, pursued by Facilier's shadow demons. In the swamp, they meet Louis, a trumpet-playing alligator who dreams of playing jazz in a human band, and Raymond Ray, a Cajun firefly hopelessly in love with a star he calls Evangeline.

Ray guides the group to Mama Odie, a 197-year-old voodoo priestess living in a boat-house deep in the swamp. Mama Odie explains that Naveen must kiss a true princess to become human again, but Tiana is not a princess. She tells them that they need to dig a little deeper to find what they truly want. Naveen, who has started to fall for Tiana, offers to work in her restaurant once they're human, but Tiana, still focused on her dream, insists they find a princess. Meanwhile, Facilier's plan progresses: Lawrence, disguised as Naveen, proposes to Charlotte, and the wedding is set for midnight.

The group races back to New Orleans, hitching a ride on a riverboat. But Facilier's shadow demons capture Naveen and Tiana, bringing them to the villain's voodoo emporium. Facilier intends to force Naveen to sign a contract giving him the La Bouff fortune, using Tiana as leverage. The climax unfolds as Naveen refuses, having genuinely changed, and Tiana must find the courage to save them both.[edit]