We at NC are excited about providing the Curious Crowd with our upcoming press coverage at Fan Expo Dallas. Anyone who knows us well knows how big of DisNerds we are, especially when it comes to our favorite Princesses (and unofficial princesses). We are over the moon for the guest lineup of Disney Princess voice actresses Paige O’Hara, Jodi Benson, Linda Larkin, and Susan Egan. Stick around to find out what each of these princesses mean to me!
An Homage to Disney Princesses in Dallas
Paige O’Hara – Belle
It’s no secret that Belle is my all-time favorite Disney Princess. If you really need to know just how much I love Belle, you can read my Homage to Belle here. I related to Belle so much, and quite frankly I still do. Everyone saw her as this girl who is really very odd because she doesn’t try to fit in with societal norms. I, too, was seen as a strange girl by my peers. We also share a love of books. Although I don’t read as much nowadays as I did when I was younger, I just love having actual books around: the feel of them, the smell of them, and I even find ways to use books in my décor. I still want adventure in the great wide somewhere, and I fully intend to make it a reality someday. Paige O’Hara based Belle’s speaking and singing voice off of Hollywood starlets and it’s quite apparent in many of her inflections. That callback to noir acting is another reason why I always found Belle to be so charming.
Jodi Benson – Ariel
Ariel was my first Disney Princess. I remember being in kindergarten when I saw The Little Mermaid for the first time. I fell in love with the music, the story, and the undersea adventure. Ariel is probably the reason why I started singing at a young age. I always dreamt of my clamshell solo moment in the spotlight. I also loved how much of a rebel Ariel was. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. She gave up her voice, the source of one of her greatest gifts, so she could be with the man she loved. That is a sacrifice that definitely requires dedication. Jodi’s voice continued well through my childhood as The Little Mermaid television series began. I watched that show every weekend!
Linda Larkin – Jasmine
Jasmine is a fiery princess who resents the role she’s been given in life. She wants more than the life inside the palace walls, and wants to marry for love. Though there are princes left and right clamoring for her affections, she will have none of it! She is not a prize to be won! Not to mention she’s a cat lover like myself. Jasmine is smart when it comes to getting out of sticky situations. Just look at how easily she distracts Jafar, or how she gets Aladdin to confess that he is the boy she met in the marketplace. Linda Larkin went on to provide the voice of Jasmine for both Aladdin sequels, the television series, and several other Disney specials.
Susan Egan – Megara
I always loved Meg’s attitude. She never fell into becoming a damsel in distress, even when she was a damsel who may have been in distress! She tries so hard to deny her feelings for Hercules because love caused her to be in the unfortunate position of working for Hades. I loved her Grecian dress and her hairstyle, not to mention the very 50s vibe of her song “I Won’t Say I’m in Love”. In the end, it is Meg who saves Hercules instead of the other way around. For a movie that was intended to appeal to more boys than girls, this was a very unexpected but welcome twist that shows that even “princesses” are capable of saving demi-gods. Even though Meg wasn’t technically a “princess” she was still one badass Disney lady! And the fact that Susan Egan played Belle on Broadway is just the icing on the cake!
Which Disney princess (or unofficial princess) is your favorite? Why is she so important to you? Let us know! And be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage at Fan Expo Dallas April 6-April 8, 2018. You can buy tickets here! Also don’t forget to follow Fan Expo Dallas on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so you can stay up-to-date with all the latest announcements!
Stay Nerdy!
~Jams
