When Anika Noni Rose graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1990, there is no way she could have known that she would be the star of this weekend’s biggest hit movie.
There is also no way she could know that she was destined to become Princess Tiana, the first African-American Disney princess.
Rose, a classically trained, Tony-award winning actress, is the voice of the star of “Princess and the Frog.”
"It was pretty amazing," Rose told the Los Angeles Times of her royal role, giving voice to Tiana. "When you're doing animation, you have to really access your inner 3-year-old. Every emotion or action, you have to bring up organically from within yourself -- there's nothing around you. If you're running through a swamp, they'll put the footsteps in later, but your voice has to sound as if you're running through a swamp, even though you're just standing in front of a mike. It was a challenge."
The animated film is set in New Orleans and it’s a modern version of the story of a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again.
It has thrown her into the spotlight to become a role model for children, including Angelina Jolie’s daughter, Zahara.
“It’s wonderful,” Rose tells OK! Magazine. “I think every little girl should be able to feel themselves the princess. I think every little girl is worthy of having a princely young man, and vice versa. It’s really thrilling that Zahara will never have a moment where she didn’t see herself in that light. She’s Ethiopian. She comes from kings and queens. She should certainly know herself as a princess.”
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Rose performed in a Bloomfield high school performance of “Fame.” In the 19 years since she graduated from the Connecticut school, her career has soared. She was in “Dreamgirls”, “The Starter Wife”, “Just Add Water”, in several Broadway shows and more.
