Anika Noni Rose has broken her silence about the cancellation of “Tiana,” the recently axed streaming series follow-up to Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”
“I too am deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana’s journey in series form has been cut short,” the voice actress wrote on Instagram on Tuesday a week after the Disney+ show was cancelled. A one-off animated special will now be coming in its place instead.
Rose shared that she had been asked by many outlets for a statement but that she’d “rather talk to you directly.”
She continued: “The series was a longtime coming and a lot of beautiful work was put into it by all of the creatives involved, including – but not limited to – longtime champion Jenn Lee, our wonderful writer/director Joyce Sherri, some fabulous editors and an amazing music team.”
Additionally, Rose wrote, “As hurtful as it is for anything you’ve put your heart and soul into to be prematurely ended, my hope is that when what is now to be a ‘Tiana Special Event’ airs, that all of you beautiful, loving, loyal fans who’ve been championing not just the series but a ‘Princess and the Frog’ sequel, tune in.” She encouraged fans to tell everyone about the special and make sure they all tune in. “Show your love and your desire in the numbers. Make that desire an undeniable and real thing,” she said. “Until then, we will be continuing to work hard to bring you the most beautiful content we can.”
Rose has had a deep relationship with the character, not only voicing her in the movie, but also returning to the role for a cameo in “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and for the Disney Parks attraction Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is now open at Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Last year, she also wrote a Tiana-based children’s book called “Tiana’s Perfect Plan.” The Tony-winning actress has also been inducted as a Disney Legend.
Last week, it was announced that “Tiana,” which was first revealed at an investor’s day event in 2020, had been canceled and that Walt Disney Animation Studios would be abandoning long-form streaming series in favor of shorter content or things like the eventual “Tiana” special, which will be directed by Sherri and Disney vet Stephen Anderson. As part of the announcement, a full-length feature produced at Disney Animation’s Canadian satellite studio was also canceled.
