(Source: www.eonline.com)
The role of The Frog Princess is the hottest prize for any black performer in Hollywood and Alicia Keys wants it.
Singer/songwriter Keys is campaigning heavily for the role of Maddy, which is being touted as "the first black Disney princess". She even went so far as to get Disney Features chairman Dick Cook's personal number and call him saying she wanted in. Keys' chutzpah apparently earned her a call-back audition, but she won't be the only one there.
Other names being shortlisted for the part include three Dreamgirls: Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose.
- Keys' biggest assets are her visibility and her vocal ability. Her biggest downside is that she's very "New York" in her delivery. She needs to present a realistic New Orleans accent if she has any shot at the role.
- Jennifer Hudson has a similar situation to Keys: a high-profile name (thanks to her Oscar win for Dreamgirls) and nobody doubts that she has the pipes. She also brings a real Cinderella quality to the proceedings, since she looks most like an average African-American than the other two (Keys' mother is White and Knowles' is Creole). Again, can Hudson bring out a realistic New Orleans accent?
- Beyoncé Knowles has the marquée name and she'll look good doing publicity for the role. As the Oscar telecast proved, she's not in the same league as Hudson, but she does have some connection to New Orleans (her mother is of Creole descent). That doesn't assume she can pull off the accent.
- Anika Noni Rose has the lowest public visibility of the four contestants but, as a Tony Award winner (for her work in Caroline, or Change), she has the most theatrical credibility. She also got noticed for her work in Dreamgirls, but not as high-profile as Hudson or Knowles. Not a household name but certainly has the acting and vocal chops.
My vote is for Jennifer Hudson, although Anika Noni Rose is a great choice as well. I'm less thrilled with Alicia Keys or Beyoncé Knowles: they're both extremely talented singers but their major assets (their looks) won't matter since it's animation. Lasseter has generally put talent over name recognition when handing out lead roles: hopefully he does the same this time around.
Who's your choice for The Frog Princess? Go to our poll and cast your vote.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
