I hope this movie is good because I know some sweet little princesess who are very excited!!!  I am glad that theres finally a black princess, They look just as cute in a little princess dress as any little girl does.  Yaay for all the little black princesses!!!!  This one is for you!

funny; an article about a cartoon princess recieves the most comments-myself adding to the number!  the posted storyboard description echos cinderella:

“The original version has been traced back to China. Most of us are familiar with the version written by Charles Perrault and published in 1697 in Paris. There are over one thousand versions of the story, many from cultures all around the world.”

(courtesy of:  http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/thomas/cinderella.html)

it therfore does not sound unreasonable to reflect “cinderella” in another cultural light; maybe this credits disney’s intentions. be careful of exaggerating cultural cliches, but also be true to history.  servitude (having servants) was/is prominent in ancient and modern civilizations and included all ethnicities, and did/does not necessarily imply slavery, although that too was/is an unpleasant reality. i don’t recall slander arising from the story “Yeh-Shen, A Cinderella Story from China”, by Ai-Ling Louie; “Cendrillon”, by Robert D. SanSouci (carribean version); or “The Turkey Girl”, A Zuni Cinderella Story, by Penny Pollock.

an un-advantaged/exploited character (be it sevant, slave, or other) is an essential component of the plot of the cinderella story, whatever the ethnicity of the character may be.

Rowdy wrote ....and while we’re at it… how about a couple of gay princes… now THAT would show some diversity!  Who knows, maybe Prince Charming and Prince Eric (Ariel’s beau) would hit it off, move to Fire Island and “...live happily ever after….

Dude (I think)..that actually had me rolling..Don’t know if you meant it to be funny or not..but lmfao…Cute but that won’t happen in these good ole’ U.S. of A. . Nice reality show maybe.

You know, I was FOR this film until I read Cyrena’s comments. You are absolutely right!. Why bother! Their history shows they don’t know HOW to be sensitive to other cultures; just as much as “hippy pam” doesn’t know how to write in proper English. Somehow, Hippy Pam, I’m not surprised you heard that comment at Walmart. This article was not about politics. But, if you’re not voting Obama because he has African blood, America doesn’t need your vote. SOME of us are beyond the silly race issue. I know this sounds callous but, I can’t wait until your breed dies out.

I’m not sure why I’m even responding, but the Disney “middle eastern” princess, Jasmine, is Arabian, not Egyptian. 

I’m not thrilled with how Disney portrays ANY of its princesses.  Why are they all thin and starry eyed and beautiful, and “not true-to-life” uhm… maybe because they are cartoons?!?

But if Disney is trying to show their diversity and they are going to have an African princess, why does it have to be an African American?  The ‘white’ princesses aren’t necessarily American.  Since when did America have royalty?  It seems more like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (who both became a princess by virtue of their respective Prince Charming and Prince Philip) were more English (or at least European) than American.

There does not NEED to be a black princess, but if there is going to be one and if Disney wants to be as “authentic” as it can be, why not make her the beautiful daughter of a Nubian Queen?

...and while we’re at it… how about a couple of gay princes… now THAT would show some diversity!  Who knows, maybe Prince Charming and Prince Eric (Ariel’s beau) would hit it off, move to Fire Island and “...live happily ever after.”

It is very unfortunate, but not surprising that George Manuelian of Atherton, Ca finds being sensitive to other’s perception of stereotypes, “pandering to minority groups”. I guess the old Tarzan and Planet of the Apes stereotypes would be just fine with him. Or maybe he’d like to see the Disney character to be some poor inner city kid living on welfare, with a mother on crack, who is saved by a white prince (because hell we all know there aint no non-white princes; not realistic huh)?  Mister..the world is made up of more than just you and your kind. It is sad you don’t realize that yet.

Why, GM, when movies are released that are hostile to non-Western cultures and concerns from groups are shrugged off with a “that’s how the world works” hunching of the shoulders, is that not pandering? Obviously there is a group benefiting from such portrayals. Let’s say this movie’s released, and a group of people who have never had a problem with Disney’s treatment of race decides to protest because the movie’s characters aren’t “American” enough, whatever that means. Would any response from Disney be pandering in that sense, or is your issue with who’s being heard?

As for the movie, don’t expect to see anything much that departs from Disney’s time-honored traditions. If it’s not racist, it’ll likely be sexist. Find out before you let your kids soak up those kinds of attitudes.

IT IS WAY PASS DUE—- HAVING AN INETERRACIAL ROMANCE—- THANK YOU AS WELL——LOVE IS BLIND—- IT’S TIME WE TEACH ALL OF OUR CHILDREN THIS—ESPECIALLY SINCE GOD IS LOVE!!!!

What’s wrong with doing a real African folk/fairy tale with real African characters?  This “princess” looks truly awful and weird.  Couldn’t she have a “real” crown and a normal hairstyle like a “real” princess. The Disney people need to get out more.

Why can’t the first black Disney princess be an African Princess?  The last time I looked Egypt was part of Africa and Egypt had true royalty including princesses and queens.

Disney, look beyond the US borders… there’s a whole wide world out there!

Isn’t it time everyone just pointed out the obvious? For years now Disney has consistently treated anyone who isn’t white and English speaking as two dimensional caricatures of ethnic humor and or evil. The rare attempts to rectify this have been pathetic and sad, giving Pocahontas a little tan while keeping her pert little nose.  I don’t believe that these people at Disney think they are racists, but they are.
Even worse is the scary and deliberate dumbing down of myths and stories important to the development of childrens understanding of the world. Childhood stories are supposed to contain scary parts, and unhappy events. The witch kills and eats hapless kids, bad things happen. These stories are meant to prepare children for the real world of adults. Disney’s relentless and usually unimaginative sugar-coating, happy endings, and unrealistic characters not only dishonor the myths they retell, and do nothing to encourage maturity in children, but also betray the deep seated fears haunting Disney’s executives psyches. It poisons everything they touch.
Cars, the first Pixar film after Disney bought them, was also the first Pixar film to pull it’s punches and not do as well as their other products. The stories of Disney’s nervousness about and attempts to sabotage Johnny Depps portrayal of Jack Sparrow are well-known. Even after the huge commercial success of the first Pirates film, they couldn’t keep their hands off and the weakest parts of the next two can be attributed directly to the conservative fearful atmosphere that envelopes Disney. They are a sad and messed up company, nothing like the innovative and imaginative creation Walt had years ago.

More pandering to minority groups.  Why am I somehow also sure the “revised race” of the villain will now be a white guy?  Typical. 

George Manuelian
Atherton, CA