Disney Unveils its First Black Princess and she's one of Our Pearls

Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose will give voice to Princess Tiana in Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Playing princess is something shared by little girls around the world; but until recently the most recognizable princesses worldwide featured in the Disney Co. franchise did not include one that modeled the skin, hair, and facial features associated with women of African descent. Princess Tiana, the heroine of Disney’s new movie The Princess and the Frog, changed that when she made her debut Monday at this year’s American International Toy Fair in New York. Starting in Fall 2009, the company will sell dolls, t-shirts, backpacks, and other products that feature the likeness of Princess Tiana, Disney’s first American princess who also happens to be its first black princess. The movie will air in theaters nationwide during this year’s holiday season.

“We did a lot of work internally to make sure that the product that we were developing would speak to a really broad range of moms,” says Kathy Franklin, the vice president of global studio franchise animation and Disney consumer products. “We don’t see Princess Tiana product as being just for African American girls at all. But we want little girls who have not seen Disney Princesses who look like them to see Princess Tiana and be thrilled that they have a character in our franchise who speaks to them and how they see themselves as a princess.”

Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose will give voice to Princess Tiana. Talk show host and business mogul Oprah Winfrey will play the voice of Eudora, and Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard also voices a character in the movie. Noni Rose says she was “thrilled” to give life to the first black Disney princess. “It has been a lifelong dream of mine to voice a Disney character and to have it be this one could not be more exciting,” she added. The story is set in 1920s New Orleans. To prepare for the role, Noni Rose says she “listened to a lot of music of the era, watched documentaries, and read up on New Orleans at that time.”

Kathy Franklin describes Tiana as a smart, aspiring entrepreneur. “Her dream is not to marry a prince; her dream is to open a restaurant. It is a dream that she has had from the beginning,” Franklin says. Princess Tiana dolls will be introduced in several sizes and at several price points, which will be determined by the retailers. The dolls will include a standard collector fashion doll equivalent in scale to a Barbie doll, a Tiana toddler doll, a doll that holds a talking frog, and a doll set with Tiana and Prince Naveen, her tadpole-hopping love interest post-transformation.

This year the Disney princess franchise, which accrues $4 billion in yearly retail sales worldwide, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary. Tiana will be the ninth character, the fourth princess of color, and the first African American princess in the franchise. She also marks Disney’s first return to hand drawn animation since the 1998 cartoon Mulan, titled after the Chinese warrior princess. Princess Tiana will initially stand alone and not be included with Disney products that group the princesses together until the summer of 2010 and after audiences have been fully introduced to her and her story, Franklin says.

“Collectors of first-of-a kind items and black doll collectors, in particular, will readily buy the Princess Tiana doll,” says Debbie Behan Garrett, author of Black Dolls: A Comprehensive Guide to Celebrating, Collecting and Experiencing the Passion. Garrett believes that although most mothers buy dolls that represent their child’s ethnicity, the fact that the doll is the first African American Princess created by a company with Disney’s stature will help it transcend race and doll-buying trends. In addition to toys, Disney will also introduce an extensive line of apparel, accessories, home décor, consumer electronics, school supplies, and personal care products inspired by the characters.

This has been a long time coming. I can remember signing a petition a few years ago about Disney not having a Princess who represents our little girls and now look .... My daughter is going to be five, so this whole thing is very near and dear to my heart. We've been to Disney twice so far and although I know my daughter was just happy to be there I had a problem with there not being a "Princess who looked like her" so needless to say I'm am so looking forward to our next trip to Disney to see the beautiful Princess Tiana. I'm so happy for our little girls, they are do deserving to have their "likeness" on big screens everywhere. My Soul is smiling and resonating an important phrase -- "At Last"!!!!!

(Source: Disney; Black Enterprise)

Oprah Shares Cover with Michelle Obama

It's the first time Winfrey has invited somebody to appear alongside her instead of appearing alone. Obama dons a Michael Kors dress and Dear Cashmere cardigan, while Winfrey wears a dress by Rachel Roy New York. In the interview -- Obama's first inside the White House -- the duo talk about everything from making the home more comfortable to her daughters' waning excitement about their dad being president. Here are some excerpts from the must read interview:

MICHELLE'S DECORATING PHILOSOPHY: "It will reflect our family. I want comfortable sofas, I want art that reflects contemporary and traditional, I want to bring in new American artisans," she adds, "and you've got to be able to make a fort with the sofa pillows! Everything must be fort-worthy."

MICHELLE'S WHITE HOUSE VISION: "It's a beautiful home. When you go out and come back, especially at night, with all the white lights on--it's just beautiful. We feel privileged, and we feel a responsibility to make it feel like the people's house. We have the good fortune of being able to sleep here, but this house belongs to America"

WHAT MICHELLE "KNOWS FOR SURE" IN LIFE: "I know that all I can do is be the best me that I can. And live life with some gusto. Giving back is a big part of that. How am I going to share this experience with the American people? I‘m always thinking about that."

KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS: That's the thing about being the First Lady: You try to catch your friends up on what's happening in your life, and they're like, ‘We know – we read it in the paper."

HOW MALIA, 10, AND SASHA, 7, KNOW DAD'S HOME: ""Once someone on my staff e-mailed to tell me that the president was on his way. But you could already hear the helicopter, so it was like, well, no kidding."

Pick up the Newest issue of "O" and add it to the collection of covers Mrs. Obama has graced in as many weeks (I luv it).

Sherri Shepherd to star in comedy on Lifetime Cable Network

Just a week after false reports by Star magazine that Sherri Shepherd was going to be fired from the 'The View' because of the recession, Lifetime has now announced that they have inked a deal with the popular daytime talk show host to star in a comedy pilot. The cable network has ordered the not-yet-titled sitcom project by the former star of ABC's 'Less Than Perfect,' which will tape this spring. "I'm so excited about my upcoming pilot with Lifetime," Shepherd told BV Buzz exclusively. "The script focuses on life after divorce in a humorous way, and in times like these, we really need a good laugh!"

The TV pilot is loosely based on Shepherd's life experiences and was originally developed for the CW network in 2007. After the deal at the CW lapsed, the script went to Lifetime, which is half-owned by 'The View's' parent company, Disney. If Lifetime options the series, Shepherd will juggle double duty like fellow talk show host Kelly Ripa, who for three seasons balanced working on 'Live with Regis and Kelly' while starring in the ABC sitcom 'Hope and Faith.' In addition to co-hosting 'The View,' the almost-divorced, mother of one has starred in the films 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,' 'Beauty Shop,' 'Guess Who' and 'Who's Your Caddy.'

The 41-year-old comedienne, who also has a recurring role on NBC's '30 Rock,' is featured in the upcoming Lee Daniels' film 'Precious.' Shepherd and 'Law & Order' star Anthony Anderson recently co-hosted the Trumpet Awards in Atlanta. The telecast will premiere on the cable network TV One on April 12 at 8pm. Whatever this pearl decides to do I'm sure she will be "fabu" doing it.

Angela Bassett Calling The Shots

She's played numerous icons (Betty Shabazz, Katherine Jackson, Tina Turner, Rosa Parks and most recently Voletta Wallace) on the big and small screen, has the respect of many of her peers, and is currently appearing on the last season of NBC's 'ER,' but Angela Bassett is about to embark on a journey not shared by many of her female colleagues. The Hollywood Reporter states that Bassett will make her directorial debut with 'United States,' an indie feature she's also producing with her Bassett/Vance Productions partner and husband Courtney B. Vance.

'United States,' based on the novel 'Erasure' by Percival Everett, is a dramatic comedy about Thelonius "Monk" Ellison, a prominent black literary figure who writes a faux autobiography from the perspective of a barely literate hoodlum troubled by the glorification of "ghetto" culture. When the book is lauded as a contender for the National Book Award, Ellison must choose between pride and fame. This sounds like a project we wont want to miss and I'm sure Ms. Angela will surely do us Proud.

The "Wee" Michelles in pictures (how cute are they)

My little girl is beyond facinated by the first daughters so she inspires my post today. Here are the "wee" michelles in pics...... Their personalities shine through in every pic dont' you agree?

Beyonce' Ebony Cover Girl

Beyonce' graces the cover of Ebony April 2009 and is featured in a photo shoot and interview. In the interview for the cover story ‘Beyoncenvolved: An Intimate Portrait of the Superstar You May Not Know,’ Beyonce talks about a variety of subjects, including home life with husband JayZ.

On how she defines herself and her professional career:
“I’m a daughter, I’m a friend, I’m a wife, I’m a sister. All those things first. I’m artist. I’m a businesswoman. I’m multifaceted. I’m a lover. I’m inspired by love. I make decisions from the heart.” “I turn down million dollar offers all the time because it’s something that does not feel true for what I’m trying to say. I have to be passionate about it. Love inspires and growth inspires me… If it is not going to be iconic, something I can love 10 years from now, I’ve learned I should not waste my time with it.”

Regarding her marriage to Jay-Z:
“He was very successful before I met him and I was very successful before I met him. So we have so much respect for each other, and respect for each other artistically. We are very close friends, and I believe he is the ultimate artist and he has the same feelings for me.” “I don’t know how to talk about it because I don’t like to talk about it. But I have a great example of a great wife, and that’s my mother. And I have great friends around me that have been married, so I’m lucky to have really good examples. And a great husband.” “I’m a little messy. Oh, yeah. Whenever I’m out in public, I have to be put together. When I get home, I rebel against it and I don’t want to take care of anything. I drop it. I’m relaxed. I don’t have any shoes on. No makeup. My purse is in the kitchen. I think that is most difficult thing for him. He’s very, very organized. I’m extremely organized when I’m working, and I work so much that when I get home I don’t want to think about anything.”

First Lady' Official White House Portrait Released

The White House has released the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. It was taken in the Blue Room of the White House by photographer Joyce N. Boghosian. Mrs. Obama wears a sleeveless dress, which is becoming something of a signature style for the First Lady. The black dress was designed by one of my favorite designers Michael Kors.

A Beautiful Photo

This is so Beautiful! Look at us; we come in all different shades of the chocolate spectrum; each one as beautiful as the next. Picutred are (Supermodel Imans vision of) "THE BEST SUPERMODELS" from the Model's book IMAN’S WOMEN IN BLACK. Bottom row, from far left: Gail O’Neill, Karen Alexander, Shakara, Clara Benjamin, Naomi Campbell, Iman. Center row: Kadra, Kara Young, Cynthia Bailey, Tyra Banks, Liya, Beverly Johnson. Top row: Oluchi, Katouché, Adia, Noemi. Photographed by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz for the book; and she did an amazing job.