Tiana

Tiana is the main character of Disney's 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. The storyline centers on young Tiana, a waitress and aspiring restaurant owner living in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the Jazz Age, and a prince named Naveen who has been transformed into a frog by the evil voodoo magician Dr. Facilier. She is voiced by Anika Noni Rose and is an official Disney Princess.

Development
Tiana is the first African-American princess in the Disney Princess franchise.

Early in development, Tiana was originally called Maddy and worked as a chambermaid in the La Bouff household. However, public criticism eventually caused her character's name to be changed to Tiana and her job, a waitress. Disney spokeswoman Heidi Trotta later stated "Princess Tiana will be a heroine in the great tradition of Disney’s rich animated fairy tale legacy, and all other characters and aspects of the story will be treated with the greatest respect and sensitivity." This reworking of the story itself was greatly inspired by the life story of New Orleans chef Leah Chase, and she in turn would contribute to the "Tiana's Cookbook" that was published when the film came out.

In February 2007, it was reported that Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose were top contenders for the voice of Tiana, and that Alicia Keys directly contacted Disney's studio chief Dick Cook, telling him that she wanted the role very much. It was later revealed that Tyra Banks was considered for the role as well. On April 19, 2007, it was confirmed that Anika Noni Rose would be voicing Princess Tiana.

Background
Tiana was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to James and Eudora. They lived in an all-black neighborhood. Tiana has been a talented cook since she was younger, when she made food in her father's gumbo pot. She shared the dream of opening a resturaunt with her father, which her father called 'Tiana's Place'. Tiana's father told her that in order to achieve her dream, wishing on a star would only take her part of the way through, and that she needed hard work. When James died, she worked hard to earn enough money to achieve her goal, working two jobs. Tiana has been friends with Charlotte La Bouf since they were younger, and Tiana's mother read princess stories to them, such as The Frog Prince. Tiana said she would never, ever kiss a frog, but years later she did kiss a prince turned into a frog, which is where the adventure began.

Appearance
Tiana is a beautiful young woman of African-American heritage. She is tall and slender with a sculpted figure, has medium length black hair usually tied in a low ponytail, dark amber eyes and a bright smile. She has dimples.

Personality
Tiana is a motivated, determined, and independent young woman who finds pride in doing things her own way, without help from anyone. During the early scenes of the film, Tiana is too absorbed in her work ethics to care much about anything else, especially romance. However, Tiana gradually begins to fall in love with Naveen, and realizes the most important thing in the world is not only success and hardwork, but a balance between friendship, love, and fun.



Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana, says: "She’s a strong woman who doesn’t need anyone to do things for her...She wants to do things for herself." She must learn that balance is important in life; to be happy, she needs both love and a career. On The Princess and the Frog bonus features, Anika Noni Rose announced that she and Tiana are left-handed.

Tiana doesn't like to be underestimated, as seen by the expression she made to the comment by Mr. Fenner, about a woman of her background having her hands full running a big business. She started to stand up for herself for them to change their minds, but fell down after beigenets got on her dress. Tiana is sensible; she would push away Naveen's romantic advances on her, then reminded him that he was getting married after he was flirting with butterflies. Tiana is friends with Charlotte La Bouffe, and when Charlotte became nervous and wished on a star Tiana tried to tell her that you can't just wish on a star.

Abilities
From early in the film, it is revealed that Tiana is a natural expert in the culinary arts. She is able to dice and chop a variety of vegetables at incredible speeds, and cook a delicious meal out of very little. She can recognize the ingrediants needed for the dish, and Tiana was even able to transform Mama Odie's nauseous soup to perfection. The fact that Tiana baked five hundred beigenets for Charlotte's masquerade ball that was the next day means Tiana is a competent enough cook. Tiana's gift has been pointed out on several occasions, by her father and by Naveen.

From working as a waitress, Tiana has excellent balance and hand/eye coordination. She could balance four trays of food on her head, hands, and right foot that were tossed one after the other. She didn't lose balance. Then she balanced three trays on her head and hands.

Tiana has intelligence, too, because she built a raft when it doesn't appear she was taught how to build one. At one point when she was caught by a hunter, she was smart enough to bend back his hand with her legs to escape. Tiana knew to use her tongue to grab Doctor Facilier's talisman and broke it to defeat him. Tiana is the only princess with a real job, and considering she didn't go to college, has knowledge of economy to run her business, even though people underestimated her.

Role in the film
The film follows waitress and aspiring restaurant owner Tiana as she tries to fulfill her late father's dream. In the opening scene, we see our heroine working two jobs just to save up enough money to secure the ideal building for her restaurant. Despite her mother's worries, Tiana remains single minded in opening "Tiana's Place." Meanwhile, Prince Naveen of Maldonia has arrived in New Orleans, determined to better his financial situation. After being cut off by his parents, Naveen is forced to either marry a rich girl or get a job. It soon becomes obvious that Tiana's rich best friend, Charlotte La Bouff, is the perfect choice instead of getting a job. However, lurking in the shadows is voodoo master, Dr. Facilier. Angry at the neglect he receives from the rich and powerful, Facilier ropes the money-hungry Naveen and his emotionally abused side-kick, Lawrence, into a terrible scheme that involves turning Naveen into a frog. Lawrence adopts the prince's likeness and sets out to marry Charlotte with plans to split the money with Facilier, who has some shady plans of his own. Thanks to an unfortunate circumstance and one magical kiss, Tiana loses the bid to her dream restaurant and is transformed into a frog. In a moment of desperation, she strikes a deal with Naveen, which demands that after he marries Charlotte, he shall buy her restaurant. Things begin to change, however, as the two mismatched frogs start to fall in love during their dangerous jaunt across Louisiana's swamplands. Accompanied by the trumpet-playing alligator Louis and the Cajun firefly Ray, Tiana and Naveen travel, risking life and limb to return to their beloved New Orleans. Along the way, Tiana discovers that what you want is not important as what you need and vice versa; so does Naveen. She and Naveen return to human form, when they marry and Tiana gets her restaurant.

Disney Parks


Tiana is a meetable character at Disney Parks. She made her debut along with Prince Naveen, Louis and Dr. Facilier. Starting August 2010, Tiana and Naveen joined other famous Disney Princesses in the Celebrate a Dreams Come True Parade at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida.

Tiana's Showboat Jubilee
Tiana starred in the former show at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. She performs songs from the film and starred alongside Naveen, Louis and Facilier. The show ended and was used to promote the film.

World of Color
Tiana appears twice in the water nighttime spectacular World of Color in Disney's California Adventure in the Disneyland Resort. She first appears along with Naveen and Ray during the So Close scene. She later appears during the show's grand finale along with Naveen.

Fantasmic!
Tiana makes occasional appearances in Fantasmic! riding either The Mark Twain Riverboat or Steamboat Willie.

Trivia

 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to be of African-American decent, and therefore the first Disney Princess to be voiced by an African-American.
 * Tiana is the second Disney Princess to be physically transformed during her film, after Ariel in 1989, a complete 20 years later.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to have her story take place in a relatively recent period, roughly in 20th Century New Orleans.
 * Tiana is left handed.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to have a job, but second if you include Mulan's service in the Chinese army.
 * Tiana is the fourth Disney Princess not to be of royal blood, the first being Cinderella, the second being Belle, and the third being Mulan.
 * Tiana is the first new Disney Princess to be introduced since Mulan in 1998.
 * Tiana translates as "princess" in modern day English.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to sing songs outside of the traditional "music theatre" genre. Tiana's genres range from jazz, to R&B, to blues, to soul, instead of traditional pop.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to be voiced by a single actress (who does both her speaking and singing voices) in 18 years, the last being Belle in 1991.
 * Tiana is the third Disney Princess to be tempted by the villain's offer to make their wishes come true; the first two being Snow White, who wished to marry a prince and ate the poison apple, and Ariel, who exchanged her voice for human legs. Tiana, though, was able to resist because she finally realized what was important.
 * Tiana is the second Disney Princess to kill the film's villain, the first being Mulan.
 * Tiana is the second Disney Princess to have her father in the army; the first being Mulan. But Tiana is the first to have her father die in war.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess to have only her mother alive and her father dead. Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, and Pocahontas only had fathers alive, while Snow White and Cinderella only had their stepmothers alive.
 * Tiana is the second Disney Princess to be born in America; the first was Pocahontas.
 * Tiana is the Disney Princess seen wearing the most outfits. In total, she wore ten on different occasions.
 * Tiana is the first and only Disney Princess with dimples; a trait unique to her.
 * Several other African-American celebrities wanted the role of Tiana, including model and television personality Tyra Banks, singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, and recording artist Jennifer Hudson.
 * Tiana is the first Disney Princess with a green dress, yet Belle could count as the first since she also wore a green dress at one point.
 * Tiana is the second Disney heroine to be inside a holy building after Esmeralda.