Disney Markets First Latina Princess, Demotes Frog Character
BURBANK, Ca. After fallout from the Disney corporation over leaked emails regarding an animated Latina figure, the company swiftly made major changes to lead character development.
It was initially revealed a new female Latina character called “Elena,” would be featured as a maid servant in an upcoming animation. But after the email controversy, the company quickly turned things around, now making Elena a princess.
The “maid servant Elena” was orginally thought up to play a secondary, yet crucial character role in which the plot suggests she would have no documentation papers and would be in fear of being banned from the Magic Castle in the country of Flumboria. According to the email a frog character called Kabooboo would play the lead and would eventually be turned into a prince who would manipulate Elena’s legal status by marrying her.
Excerpts from the email:
“…yes, we could have Kabooboo come very close to enforcing the immigration act of Flumboria, and that’s where the Prince would enter (as a re-up of plot point 1)…. Elena, being the typical Latino type character, we naturally could play up that whole angle (timely, stir mild controversery (sp) etc.)…”
Instead it now appears Elena will be the lead as a princess, not a maid servant, and Kabooboo will simply be her passive pet frog, rather than the evil King.
“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,” Nancy Kanter, the executive vice president and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, said in the announcement.
Amphibian activist groups have been fuming over the dismantling of a prominent frog character from story line. For months they have been preparing “Save the Frog” campaigns to coincide with the release of the animation, which now will place the frog character into a stereotypical passive role.
Jerold Chantaloo, an amphibian activist released a statement yesterday:
“It’s a shame we have to improve one stereotype, by dismantling another. Frogs are the kings of their lilly pad domains and we need to recognize how crucial they are for the ecosystems to function the way nature intended. Now Kabooboo, rather than be portrayed as a King figure, is now delegated to cute pet status. Absolutely shameful.”