Disney‘s Princess Tiana appeared in the “Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2” trailer, but she looked a little different, and fans demanded a change.
In the hit movie sequel’s promotional clip featuring several Disney princesses, the Tiana character did not appear the same as she did in “Princess and the Frog.” Tiana had lighter skin, hair, and eyes, along with a looser curl pattern.
Once fans noticed the dramatic change they created a campaign to have Tiana drawn to the original depiction. The campaign was lead by online social justice organization Color of Change.
Color of Change worked with Disney to ensure that Disney’s first black princess was accurately portrayed. The organization released a statement saying, “Disney’s decision to restore Princess Tiana’s image to that of an unapologetically Black princess with full lips, dark skin and dark hair in Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 is a victory for Color Of Change members.” They continued, “Black children and their parents, and Black audiences who want to see the variety of shades, shapes and sizes of Black characters accurately represented in the arts.”
The advocacy organization also spoke on Disney’s willingness to make things right with their audience, “By redrawing Princess Tiana — Disney’s first and only Black princess — in Ralph Breaks the Internet as she was in Princess and the Frog, Disney has shown its commitment to addressing the concerns of Color Of Change members and the Black community.”
