Meet Moana, Disney's Newest Princess | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Meet Moana, Disney's Newest Princess

Could she be leading Disney into a different direction?

68
Meet Moana, Disney's Newest Princess
Popsugar

Recently, Disney released the teaser trailer for their newest film, "Moana." While the teaser trailer focuses heavily on the demigod Maui (played by Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson), the movie is meant to follow a young Polynesian princess named Moana as she attempts to save her people. But even so, this new story seems to be different from the typical Disney princess movies in which the girl meets a handsome man, they fall in love and live happily ever after. And with these new changes, "Moana" might end up being another "Frozen."

To start off, Moana herself brings diversity to the Disney princesses. Not only is the character Polynesian, but the young actress playing Moana (an undiscovered young woman named Auli'i Carvalho) is a Pacific Islander, just like Johnson. It seems like Disney is starting to show more initiative to cast actors who are of the same heritage as the the story.

Moana also looks different from other Disney characters. For one, she looks like a Polynesian woman. The artists didn't try to change her culture or make her more white. Instead, they kept it as true to the character's heritage as possible. Moana also does not have the freakishly thin waist and extreme hourglass shape to her body. She looks like a real woman. And while those overly accentuated figures of past Disney princesses are cute and work for the fantastical characters they portray, they aren't realistic at all. So for Moana to actually look human and still remain beautiful, this will show young women watching the movie that aiming for the stick-like shape of Aurora or the nearly nonexistent waist of Jasmine is not possible, and that realistic bodies are still gorgeous.

And then there's the storyline of "Moana." As far as anyone knows, there is no handsome Prince Charming set to sweep Moana off her feet. This movie seems to be following the same family-oriented plot as "Brave" and "Frozen." Disney seems to have been going in this direction for a while now, and it keeps getting better every time. Little girls watching Disney movies no longer just see women fighting for true love, but women fighting for family and for themselves. This promotes a much stronger and more important love in young women: self-love.

So overall, "Moana" appears to be following Disney's new path for diversity and family. And if this is the case, "Moana" might just be the next "Frozen." But more than anything, it gives Disney the opportunity to explore new cultures and people. And even though "Moana" won't be released until 2018, many people are excited for what's coming next.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott

25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life

102
Michael Scott

The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"

"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.

185
the office

January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Your Friend Group, As Told By Disney Princesses

Each Disney Princess has their own personality, and chances are you've got a friend in your group to match it.

865
Disney Princesses

The dynamics of any friend group are usually determined by the personalities which make it up. Chances are, while personalities may overlap, each person in your friend group holds his or her own place. It is the differences which bring the groups together and keep them functioning. No matter how functionally dysfunctional your friend group may be, if you're anything like me, you feel absolutely blessed to have found such a wonderful group of humans to call "your people." Here is what your friend group might look like if they were Disney princesses (and that wasn't just a thing you all pretended in your heads):

Keep Reading...Show less
dorm roon
Tumblr

College is a place where you spend four years exploring opportunities you never knew were there, creating the person you are, and making life-long friends. College is hard, but it is worth spending four years there. Just because college is difficult doesn't mean that it's not fun. There are plenty of great memories you can make during your four years if college. Here are ways college is designed to be the best four years of your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
college shirt

These individuals excel in their studies, fueled by both natural intelligence and hard work. From the ambitious Entrepreneur to the talented Theatre Person, each student on this list embodies a unique aspect of college life and showcases the diverse interests and passions found on campus.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments