Elena of Avalor: 3 Things We Loved and Didn’t Like About the First Latina Disney Princess
As Disney theme parks in Florida and Anaheim started reopening, it's high time we remember a cast member that is closer to the Latin American community.
In case you've been hiding under a rock these past few years, Elena of Avalor became the first Latina in the lineup of Disney princesses in 2016.
She has earned both adoration and disappointment from Latinas and, in August this year, news of her show's cancellation had crept its way into the internet.
Here are three things the Latin community loved and didn't like about this Disney princess.
Love: The Actress Who Voiced Her
Aimee Carrero, the actor who voiced Elena was born in Dominican Republic to a Puerto Rican father and Dominican mother. Voicing Elena was the first time Carrero did voice acting.
In an ABC article, Carrero said the voice acting job "means the world" to her. She knew Latinas were waiting a long time to see a Disney princess that was like them.
Aside from the lead character, the other members of the voice cast are also of Latin/Hispanic descent. It was big news because Hollywood doesn't have a lot of Latinx actors, with only less than five percent having such roles.
Don't Like: Elena Never Reached the Big Screen
Elena was first launched through Disney Channel, not on film. Many of the princesses that came before her first appeared on the big screen.
While Elena had a TV film "Elena and the Secret of Avalor," it was a crossover with "Sofia the First" in 2016. The student paper The Double Space said the pilot episode of Elena of Avalor could've been a stand-alone movie.
TV may be a great thing, but isn't the big screen. It made Elena look like a supporting character.
Love: She's Her Own Hero
Elena is 16 years old, the same age as Aurora, who ended up dancing with the prince at the end of her film, and Ariel, who gave up her voice to be with her prince. But Elena doesn't have a prince.
"I think this message when it goes out to a young audience, it's like, find yourself first, before trying to find a partner," Carrero said.
Elena of Avalor focused on adventures and leadership instead of teaching young Disney fans to look for a prince. She wanted to teach kids that they have to find their place in the world first.
Don't Like: She was 'Born' from Confusion
Disney received backlash on social media when confusion rose in 2012, saying Princess Sofia was the first Latina princess.
The confusion snowballed into an announcement that was never meant to happen. "What the experience from Sofia showed me was what a demand there was a for a Latina princess," creator Craig Gerber said.
It may be a funny story, but doesn't sit quite well that she didn't come to Disney's mind until the confusion with Princess Sofia.
Love & Don't Like: Avalor Features Latin American Culture and Fashion
According to Latin Trends, Avalor was inspired by the Mexican, Caribbean and Spanish colonial architecture. The nearby kingdom or Cordoba is inspired by designs in Argentina. The culture also draws from the lore of Colombia and Chile.
The magical creatures in her kingdom are also combinations of animals in Latin America, like the jaguar and macaw.
Her ball gown, just like any other Disney princess', is a thing of beauty. It combines Incan and Peruvian fashion.
The many cultures packed in the same kingdom had some backlash. Some say it was too much. But surely, the creators meant well when they decided everything in one kingdom.
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