Black Elsa @ Disneyland ?

[pjweaver]

I don't see this as a race issue but rather one of character integrity. Disney promotes the idea that its fictional, animated characters are real and goes to great lengths to capitalize on it. This is why so many people are willing to wait hours to meet a minimum wage kid dressed up as a make believe character. I think if the image of that character in the parks doesn't match the image in the film, that jeopardizes the blending of fiction and fact that is the foundation of so much of what Disney does. Kids will no longer trust that they are really meeting Elsa or Mickey or anyone else. The whole illusion will be gone.

Why don't they have Uncle Remus in front of Splash Mountain?
See my earlier post about Snow White not being German and Gaston not speaking a word of French.

This is a fantasy land where dreams come true and hamburgers cost $15. How did any of this nonsense make is on a forum about the podcast? I troll don't know.

 

[piccolopat]

But yet they've used caucasian women to portray Pocahontas and Jasmine. Where's the character integrity in that?

I can't speak to that since I've never seen it but as long as the actress looks reasonably close to the character they are portraying, I would be fine with it. Take race out of this thread and answer this - if the best singer to portray Cinderella on stage belonged to a 5' tall, 350 pound woman, should she get the position? Should someone with long, straight blonde hair play Merida? IMHO, the answer in each of these case should be no. I believe the portrayal of the character brand should be consistent.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

And that's where parenting comes in
It's not a difficult discussion to have.
Just explain, as wilkeliza so eloquently put it, that the meet and greet character is the "real" Elsa and this is an actor.

Also... Why is it not an issue to explain to kids that frozen is totally cartoon but the Elsa they meet is a human?
But when they see Mickey, he's a cartoon and the meet and greet character looks like a cartoon.

They're kids! They don't give a crud

eh, it's not as easy as you think, and I think this could create kids asking questions. And that is fine as long as parents are prepared

I know I almost blew it for my daughter when I told her that Idina Menzel was going to be on and singing Let it Go and it is cool since she is the voice of Elsa ... to which my daughter responded "what do you mean, 'voice of'?" ... I quickly recovered by explaining that Mz Menzel is just really good at singing the song so they let her do that while Elsa is busy meeting children in Walt Disney World

Overall I think it is cool Disney is doing this but a bit surprising given that this is in a park when they do try carefully to "keep the magic" when on stage and not let kids under a certain age take behind the scenes tours and not have a character meet at the same time they are in a parade, etc.

 

[robinb]

I'm going to weigh in this discussion carefully.

I go to a local outdoor theater every summer and have seen all types of color blind acting. I've seen a Korean man play Richard III and a black man play Hamlet. It's really not a big deal. I didn't bat an eye when it came out that an African American actress was going to play Hermione in the upcoming stage production of Harry Potter. But ... you knew the but was coming ... but ... I think that it's odd that Disney should cast someone of a different race to play a character inside a Disney park. The Elsa in the stage show is just as real as the Elsa in the meet and greets to kids. I think that it breaks that connection to all the other Elsas in the park. Yes, you can talk about how a stage show is cast differently, but kids don't understand that. They are there to see Elsa, not someone playing Elsa.

I think some parents would explain it for what it is: "Wasn't the girl who played Elsa great?" or "The real Elsa is busy and she had her friend play her role, wasn't she great?" or "The real Elsa is over at the meet and greet and this is just as reenactment of her story." That's what *I* would do. But other parents will be angry. NOT because they are racist but because the Elsa in the musical in DL does not look the same as the Elsa in the parades and the meet and greet.

 

[Princess Jes]

eh, it's not as easy as you think, and I think this could create kids asking questions. And that is fine as long as parents are prepared

I know I almost blew it for my daughter when I told her that Idina Menzel was going to be on and singing Let it Go and it is cool since she is the voice of Elsa ... to which my daughter responded "what do you mean, 'voice of'?" ... I quickly recovered by explaining that Mz Menzel is just really good at singing the song so they let her do that while Elsa is busy meeting children in Walt Disney World

Overall I think it is cool Disney is doing this but a bit surprising given that this is in a park when they do try carefully to "keep the magic" when on stage and not let kids under a certain age take behind the scenes tours and not have a character meet at the same time they are in a parade, etc.

They've got to find out that Santa is a big fat lie at some point, might as well teach them about race and gender equality while you're at it

 

[Princess Jes]

I think some parents would explain it for what it is: "Wasn't the girl who played Elsa great?" or "The real Elsa is busy and she had her friend play her role, wasn't she great?" or "The real Elsa is over at the meet and greet and this is just as reenactment of her story." That's what *I* would do.

^^^ parenting done right

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Ok folks here me out

Doesn't Disney cast their park princesses to look a certain way

I mean lets say a 400 lb woman or even a man wanted to be Cinderella

All over the park, Elsa is portrayed as a faired skinned blue eyed princess

Kids recognize Elsa as such in the toys and merchandise they buy

L.A. Is a talent rich area filled with accomplished actresses

I should not be accused of being racist if to me it just seemed weird watching the show

Last time I saw the beauty and the beast musical at HS, Belle was a full figured woman. She definitely didn't fit the skinny princess cartoon Belle look. But she was wonderful actress/singer, which is why I'm assuming they cast her. So yes, they do cast performers based on talent rather than looks.

 

[SureAsLiz]

But yet they've used caucasian women to portray Pocahontas and Jasmine. Where's the character integrity in that?

I can't speak to that since I've never seen it but as long as the actress looks reasonably close to the character they are portraying, I would be fine with it

*They currently use...

There's a blue-eyed Pocahontas that meets at WDW right now

 

[NeuroCindy]

*They currently use...

There's a blue-eyed Pocahontas that meets at WDW right now

Thank you I wasn't sure if she was still there, so I erred on the side of caution.

 

[figmentofmyimagination]

Here's another clip. It has nothing to do with Disney or the topic being discussed, but I like it so I'm posting it.

I literally have replayed this video 10 times. So funny

 

[CampbellzSoup]

At the end of the day does it really matter...? Let it go...

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I think that this thread has run its course. It is now closed.