When news of Disney’s “first Latina princess” hit the Internet on Thursday, Latinos rejoiced. But advocates of a more diverse set of princesses shouldn’t get too excited yet: Elena of Avalor may not really be Latina after all.
Disney announced the latest addition to its princess franchise in a Thursday press release. According to the release, Elena, 16, is a “bold, caring, funny and clever” princess, and will be introduced in a special episode of Disney Junior’s TV series “Sofia The First” in 2016. The character will be voiced by Dominican-born actress Aimee Carrero, of ABC’s “Young & Hungry.”
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Fans have been waiting for a long time for the first Latina princess, especially after Disney presented the first African-American princess, Tiana, in the 2009 animated feature “The Princess and the Frog.” Whether or not Elena is technically Latina, she is the closest the company has come to having a princess that represents the Latino community.
“Our creative team has delivered a universal story with themes that authentically reflect the hopes and dreams of our diverse audience,” Kanter said in a statement included in Thursday’s release. “What excites us most is the chance to use distinctive animation and visual design to tell wonderful stories influenced by culture and traditions that are familiar to the worldwide population of Hispanic and Latino families and reflect the interests and aspirations of all children as told through a classic fairy tale.”
