It's no secret that two new girls will be initiated into being a Disney princess. Moana the Hawaiian princess has a movie coming out and Elena, the hispanic one has a series. The question is, what makes Moana the Hawaiian princess and Elena of Avalor the Latina princess so different from the rest?
As a child, every girl dreams of becoming a princess. Fourteen-year-old Auli'i Cravalho of Oahu was able to make her childhood dream come true. With her singing talents, fairy godmother, and the help of an agent Auli'I was discovered and flown to L.A to take on her new role. She worked alongside the directors who worked on both the Little Mermaid and Aladdin to become the Hawaiian princess Moana Waialiki . Costar Dwayne Johnson (who plays Maui) was there alongside Auli'I to help the creation of this new princess.
Walt Disney Animations will officially introduce the first computer animated Polynesian princess. On October 20, 2014, Disney announced that princess Moana shall be welcomed into the royal family as well as theaters everywhere come 2016. o. According to one of the producers John Musker, the music is said to be a mixture of three collaborators. After the success from the movie Frozen, Walt Disney Studios set out on creating another adventure for another heroine, only this time one with a unique racial background. This is not the first Hawaiian animation created by Disney studios (Lilo and Stitch) but, it is the first princess movie of its kind. Walt Disney Animation later unveiled that Moana’s story line, plot, and lesson were to be written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
Moana herself is a different kind of princess from the realistic shape of her body, to being a princess with no love interest. She is a princess with her own story, and independent adventure. Co directer John Musker said that the whole point was for Moana to be different, that was a major aim of her movie. Musker stated "... we wanted her to be an action hero, capable of action" to a buzzfeed journalist. The people behind the creation of Moana really focused the drawings and animations on the people of the south. They wanted her to be able to hold her own physically. Compared to the hypersexualized and past teenage princesses as you can see in the picture below, Moana herself does indeed stand out.
As a child, every girl dreams of becoming a princess. Fourteen-year-old Auli'i Cravalho of Oahu was able to make her childhood dream come true. With her singing talents, fairy godmother, and the help of an agent Auli'I was discovered and flown to L.A to take on her new role. She worked alongside the directors who worked on both the Little Mermaid and Aladdin to become the Hawaiian princess Moana Waialiki . Costar Dwayne Johnson (who plays Maui) was there alongside Auli'I to help the creation of this new princess.
Walt Disney Animations will officially introduce the first computer animated Polynesian princess. On October 20, 2014, Disney announced that princess Moana shall be welcomed into the royal family as well as theaters everywhere come 2016. o. According to one of the producers John Musker, the music is said to be a mixture of three collaborators. After of the success of the movie Frozen, Walt Disney Studios set out on creating another adventure for another heroine, only this time one with a unique racial background. This is not the first Hawaiian animation created by Disney studios (Lilo and Stitch) but, it is the first princess movie of its kind. Walt Disney Animation later unveiled that Moana’s story line, plot, and lesson were to be written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
While many past Disney stories had been based off of fantasy’s, fairies, and dreams, Moana is based off of nothing more than a tale, idea’s, and the Pacific Island cultures of ancient Oceania. Though Oceania’s current region does not quite reach the state of Hawaiian, Disney felt it close enough to portray Hawaii and Oceania within the same concept. There is a belief that Maui’s name is a reference and hint to the creation of the Oceania society. That Moana could possibly be based on the story of how the Polynesians were said to have made it to the islands. The tale of how life on the islands began started around 1947. When explorer Thor Heyerdahl came up with the theory that tribes from South America built rafts. Those rafts then were set out to sail across more than 5,000 miles of the Pacific Ocean to reach Polynesia. To support, enforce, and prove his theory Thor Heyerdahl set out on a journey to follow the path he believed the Polynesians took in the most accurate way. His experiences, failures, and triumphs of his voyage and expedition have been recently shown in the live-action film, Kon Tiki.
Now that we’ve gotten through how the movie idea was formed and who is participating in making the movie possible, let’s get to the story line of the movie itself. It is about a young girl who sets off on an adventure 3,000 years in the past, whom sets sail to complete a quest given to her by her ancestors. Many years ago some of the greatest navigators of all time voyaged across the South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. Yet after some time the voyages stopped and never began again. Leaving everyone to wonder why. In this new Disney princess adventure, the main character Moana Waialiki is the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. Much like those before her it makes sense for Moana to be a natural born navigator. When her family is in need the teenage heroine takes her raft on a quest to find a fabled island. It is a journey attempted and failed by many ancestors before her. Along the way our brave female faces mythological massive sea creatures, demigods and spirits based off of real mythology, unimaginable underworlds, and unfathomable folklore. Along the way she has help from her sidekick as do most Disney princesses. This headstrong princesses aid on her journey is demigod Maui, who seems to have lost his place as a demigod for some reason unknown.
Could there be a reason for the sudden stop of voyages across the pacific? Is there a relation between demigod Maui and the island Maui? What makes our Moana so special, that this voyage and mystery that many have embarked on before her seem capable when in the hands of our heroine? We will just have to wait until 2016 to find out how one ordinary Hawaiian teen embarks on a journey that turns her into Disney’s newest princess.
Elena is a currently running Disney channel series that follows the life of a new Latina Disney princess. The story of Elena of Avalor is that she has been locked in an amulet for over 40 years, but comes out of it as a 16-year-old girl. That would make her the same age as Aurora from “Sleeping Beauty,” Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” and Mulan. Like Moana, Elena story will too steer away from romance. In an ABC interview the voice actress of Elena, Aimee Carrero said "She’s very much her own hero. She is very much the autonomous character in her own story. And I love that about her. And I think that as women, whatever ethnicity, we want a balance of everything. But I think this message when it goes out to a young audience, it’s like, find yourself first, before trying to find a partner. Find your passion. Find out where your place in the world is.”
As a princess Elena is one day to be queen which is a good thing seeing as she has both the heart and mind of a true leader. Much like a leader she focuses and devotes her time to the welfare of her subjects, her family and her friends. Princess Sofia (another Disney animated princess who has her own show) was the one who freed Elena from the amulet. Much like Sofia princes Elena values keeping making her loved ones proud and keeping promises. Elena herself is so confident in herself, that it is to the point where she is careless due to rushing into things and not thinking them through.
Elena's story focuses on her maturing enough to one day rule as queen the right way so that she does not lose the crown as her father had. She also has unique power or weapon should I say, a scepter of light. It's powers can be described in the same way many Disney movies and shows can be described as, magical. Hopefully, the Disney magic will one day help her rule as a wonderful queen.
The TV itself consists of new songs in every episode and is shown on Disney channel and currently playing, so check out this wondrous fairy tale following this adventurous young girl yourself.
