If you’ve ever found yourself humming "Almost There" while scrubbing a kitchen floor or daydreaming about a promotion, you know the power of Tiana’s voice. It’s soulful. It’s gritty. It’s got that New Orleans "zip" that makes you want to work a double shift and like it. But who voiced Tiana in Princess and the Frog? Honestly, the answer is a lot more interesting than just a name on a Wikipedia page because the woman behind the crown basically built the character from the ground up.
The Woman Behind the Apron: Anika Noni Rose
The voice of Princess Tiana is the incredibly talented Anika Noni Rose.
She isn't just some random voice actress Disney pulled out of a hat. Before she ever stepped into the recording booth for the 2009 classic, she was already a heavy hitter in the industry. You might recognize her as Lorrell Robinson from the Dreamgirls movie (alongside Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson) or from her Tony Award-winning performance in Caroline, or Change.
Disney usually likes to hire "stars," but for Tiana, they needed a specific kind of magic. They needed someone who could sound like a 19-year-old waitress with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but who could also belt out a Broadway-style showstopper without breaking a sweat. Anika was it. She auditioned three separate times. She wasn't just handed the role because she was famous; she fought for it.
Funny enough, Anika once told reporters she didn't even think she'd be the princess. She thought she'd be a "weeping willow" or some background animal. Instead, she became a Disney Legend (literally, she was given the Disney Legend award in 2011).
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Why Tiana’s Voice Sounds So Familiar
It’s not just the singing. Anika Noni Rose has a very distinct, "buttery" vocal quality that has popped up in a ton of places you probably didn't realize.
- The Good Wife: She played Wendy Scott-Carr.
- Dreamgirls: As we mentioned, she was one of the three leads.
- Maid (Netflix): She played Regina, the high-powered lawyer.
- Mufasa: The Lion King (2024): She voiced Afia.
The thing about Anika is that she actually looks a bit like Tiana. That wasn't an accident. Mark Henn, the supervising animator for Tiana, actually watched Anika record her lines. He saw the way she cocked her head, the way her eyebrows moved, and the fact that she’s left-handed. He put all of that into the animation. So, when you see Tiana doing something small and human, you’re basically watching Anika’s soul being translated into ink and paint.
Who Voiced Tiana in Princess and the Frog as a Child?
Most people forget that we see Tiana as a little girl first, sitting on a rug while her mom, Eudora (voiced by Oprah Winfrey, by the way), sews a dress. Anika Noni Rose didn't do that voice. That would’ve sounded... weird.
The "Little Tiana" voice was provided by Elizabeth M. Dampier.
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Elizabeth captured that wide-eyed innocence perfectly. She’s the one who says, "I will never, ever, ever kiss a frog!"—a line that, let's be real, aged like milk given how the rest of the movie goes.
The Controversy: That Time They Redrew Her
You can’t talk about who voiced Tiana in Princess and the Frog without talking about Anika’s fierce loyalty to the character.
Back in 2018, when Disney released the trailer for Ralph Breaks the Internet, fans went nuclear. Tiana looked... different. Her skin was lighter, her nose was narrower, and her hair was a weirdly loose texture that didn't match the original 2009 look.
Anika didn't just sit back and let it happen. She actually went to Disney. She sat down with the animators and explained why the original features mattered. She advocated for Tiana’s legacy, and Disney actually listened—they went back and re-animated the scenes to make Tiana look like herself again. That's the kind of dedication Anika has. She isn't just a voice for hire; she’s the protector of the character.
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Quick Facts You Can Use to Win Trivia Night
If you're ever at a Disney trivia night, here are the deep cuts about the voice cast that most people miss:
- Keith David (Dr. Facilier) has such a deep, rumbling voice that he’s basically the go-to guy for Disney villains now.
- Jenifer Lewis (Mama Odie) is basically the mother of Black Hollywood, and her "Dig a Little Deeper" performance is legendary.
- Jim Cummings (Ray the Firefly) is also the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Talk about range.
- Oprah Winfrey almost didn't do the movie, but she loved the story of a hardworking woman so much she couldn't say no to playing Eudora.
What’s Happening With Tiana Now?
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about where Tiana is going next. If you’ve been to Disney World or Disneyland recently, you know they’ve replaced Splash Mountain with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Anika Noni Rose returned to voice Tiana for the ride, and she even recorded a brand-new song for it. There was also supposed to be a long-form musical series on Disney+ called Tiana, but word on the street (and from Anika herself on Instagram) is that it’s been retooled into a "Special Event" rather than a full series. It’s a bit of a bummer for fans who wanted a 10-episode arc, but Anika is still very much involved in making sure the quality stays high.
How to Support the Voice Behind the Magic
If you want to see more of the woman who voiced Tiana in Princess and the Frog, you don't have to wait for Disney to release something. Anika is constantly working.
- Check out her book, Tiana’s Perfect Plan, which she authored herself.
- Follow her on Instagram (@anikaaroundtheworld). She’s super active and talks a lot about her theater work and travel.
- Watch Dreamgirls if you haven't seen it. Her vocal performance in "Step into the Bad Side" is a masterclass.
Anika Noni Rose didn't just give Tiana a voice; she gave her a heart. She made Tiana the most "real" princess in the lineup—a woman who doesn't wait for a star to wish upon, but grabs a shovel and starts digging.
To keep the magic going, you can watch the original Princess and the Frog on Disney+ or head to the parks to hear Anika’s voice booming over the drop at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.