Having princesses on the big screen is one thing, but having them in real life is an entirely different ballpark. ELLE Magazine and Disney have teamed up to bring us 14 real-life heroes and heroines to promote courage and kindness for the Ultimate Princess Celebration.
The two companies have conjured up a roster of powerful, successful women who have been inspired by the classic Disney Princesses. Some of the highlights of the heroines include Eva Longoria, Amanda Nguyen, and Padma Lakshmi.
Sloman for ELLE Magazine.
Eva Longoria: Princess Jasmine
Actress Eva Longoria gives thanks to Princess Jasmine for the celebration. “Careerwise, directing, producing, and acting, that’s what I do, but who I am is more important,” she says. “Affordable housing and health care, access to quality education—those things are a little more important than who’s watching my TV show.” In response to the 1990’s classic Aladdin, it’s safe to say Eva was in awe of it. “I loved Jasmine, he had dark hair and dark skin. I was like, ‘She looks like me!'”
Sloman for ELLE Magazine.
Amanda Nguyen: Princess Mulan
Next, we have Amanda Nguyen. Amanda is the coined the Brave Justice-Seeker, and for a
Nguyen just recently passed not just her first, her thirty-seventh law. Being a rape survivor herself, Nguyen started the organization Rise while she was in college following her assault. This organization put together the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights.
In a year of racist violence, Nguyen shifted her work to advocate for the AAPI community. When talking about the Disney princess that inspired her, Nguyen mentioned her love for Mulan when she was growing up. She talked to ELLE how “. . . you can be brave while being vulnerable, that courage doesn’t mean lack of fear.” As if she could not become more admirable, a former NASA intern mentioned she’d love to go to space one day and fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut.
Sloman for ELLE Magazine.
Padma Lakshmi: Princess Tiana
Inspired by the compassion and love of Princess Tiana, Padma Lakshmi takes Tiana’s work ethic to heart. “We love Tiana because she’s very steadfast and doesn’t expect an easy way out,” she says to ELLE. It’s safe to say
Top Chef and Taste the Nation host told her stories of food bringing families and cultures together. Food is a great way to bring families and cultures together, and that’s what Padma is all about. She even has her debut children’s book coming out on August 31st called Tomatoes for Neela.
Having multicultural children’s books makes a load of difference and opens children’s eyes to other cultures beyond their own.
Sloman for ELLE Magazine.
Misty Copeland: Princess Belle
Last but not least, we have the American Ballet Theatre principal Misty Copeland. Inspired by the graceful Princess Belle, Copeland has earned herself the biggest name in American dance. She’s currently working on Flower, a short dance film that serves as a “love letter” to Oakland, California, and addresses the history of gentrification.
Copeland felt a strong connection to Belle of Beauty and the Beast while growing up. “I loved the way she would move throughout the town, with such poise and grace,” she says to ELLE,
“. . . even though she wasn’t this wealthy, elite princess.”
Disney has a long history of empowering women, especially with their recent live-action remakes. With this 15-month long campaign, I’m sure children, young kids, and even grown adults such as myself will find the inner princess in ourselves through courage, and kindness.
All content in this article is a preview of the September 2021 issue of ELLE, and the official story can be found on ELLE.
