Disney Princess Criticism - What's Your Opinion?

[Redadoodles]

You didn't have to call a person trash, but I said people were being dumb which is almost as bad. I'd love to read why Cinderella and Charming are a great couple, and also why Cinderella is better than Belle. Do you have links to those articles?

But your post was funny. Hey, also, am I Cher?!

I made a video defending Cinderella based on Keira Knightley's views on the character. I used pretty much all of Keira's points (she also attacked Ariel) and tried to demonstrate her total hypocrisy. I have the feeling you might enjoy it Haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49QZqw2w7z8

[Disney Duster]

Wow, that was really funny! And what a good point that if she's banning her child from movies she's not really supporting her in whatever her child wants to do!

[Redadoodles]

Wow, that was really funny! And what a good point that if she's banning her child from movies she's not really supporting her in whatever her child wants to do!

She literally makes no sense in her views. Not only she changes Cinderella's character and story to fit her own fake feminist views but the worse part is that she doesn't even stick to her views when it comes the characters she plays.
Cinderella has more courage and class that both Keira Knightley and Elizabeth Swan combined.

[Tristy]

Since we are bringing this up again, anyone going to mention that she basically said all this while promoting a Disney movie where she plays a villain trying to kill off the protagonists? Yeeeeeeaaaahhhh... Keira I love you but seriously? I mean credit to taking on a role that is a far cry from what she usually does and there's nothing wrong with playing a villain in a movie your kids can watch but dissing a character for being a certain way while playing someone with no redeeming qualities does almost seem a bit confusing to me.

Also I did hear somewhere that Emma Watson was offered the role of Cinderella but she turned it down because she felt that Cinderella is a terrible role model. This coming from someone who not only played a damsel in distress princess in that mediocre Tale of Desperaux movie but she was also in The Bling Ring where she plays a vapid teenager who tries to rob the homes of certain celebrities. I mean she is also entitled to her opinion but...what?

Guys, you can hate something that a lot of other people love but hating on something popular doesn't always make you look cool. There are people who have genuinely good reasons for not liking Disney and are pretty clear in their explanations but there are other cases where it's becoming a "cool" thing. It's especially apparent that is the case when they regurgitate the same thing over and over again.

[Disney's Divinity]

Since we are bringing this up again, anyone going to mention that she basically said all this while promoting a Disney movie where she plays a villain trying to kill off the protagonists? Yeeeeeeaaaahhhh... Keira I love you but seriously? I mean credit to taking on a role that is a far cry from what she usually does but I would imagine her kid would be a tad traumatized by that.

Also I did hear somewhere that Emma Watson was offered the role of Cinderella but she turned it down because she felt (Surprise, surprise) that Cinderella is a terrible role model. This coming from someone who not only played a damsel in distress princess in that mediocre Tale of Desperaux movie but she was also in The Bling Ring where she plays a vapid teenager who tries to rob the homes of certain celebrities. I mean she is also entitled to her opinion but...what?

Well, no offense, but these arguments don't make sense either. You think playing a villain is antithetical to feminism...how?

[Tristy]

That's not what I'm saying. It's more that dissing a character for sending a bad message but being totally ok with playing characters that are are not supposed to be sympathetic almost seems a little confusing to me. And I'm not saying that playing a villain is a bad thing even when you have the kids. It has nothing to do with it being the antithesis of feminism. I'm sorry I didn't make that clear.

[Disney's Divinity]

Oh, okay. I haven't seen the Emma Watson film you referred to, but I did see The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. I feel that as long as a villain is signaled as being a villain, then it's not going to be harmful to a child; only if the villainous behavior is in a way being marketed as good would it be dangerous. In comparison, some of the messages about what was once considered the only acceptable kind of behavior for women is signaled as being normal, desirable, etc. to the viewer in older films. I personally wouldn't keep my children from watching Disney films, but that's only because there are many different types of female characters now that they would be seeing at the same time (like Moana, Elsa, Mulan, Belle, etc.). I'd only have reservations if all Disney heroines were like Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora, tbh.

[Redadoodles]

Since we are bringing this up again, anyone going to mention that she basically said all this while promoting a Disney movie where she plays a villain trying to kill off the protagonists? Yeeeeeeaaaahhhh... Keira I love you but seriously? I mean credit to taking on a role that is a far cry from what she usually does but I would imagine her kid would be a tad traumatized by that.

Also I did hear somewhere that Emma Watson was offered the role of Cinderella but she turned it down because she felt (Surprise, surprise) that Cinderella is a terrible role model. This coming from someone who not only played a damsel in distress princess in that mediocre Tale of Desperaux movie but she was also in The Bling Ring where she plays a vapid teenager who tries to rob the homes of certain celebrities. I mean she is also entitled to her opinion but...what?

To be fair, Emma never said that Cinderella was a terrible role model, she said that she didn't connect with the character that much which is fine.
I don't care if someone hates Cinderella actually. That's all good. HOWEVER, it becomes a real issue when someone changes the character's story and dreams to fit their own narrative like Keira Knightley does.
The reason why I refused to watch The Nutcracker was because of Keira's opinion on Cinderella. She brought it up in several interviews. It's mind blowing to me that she would bash Cinderella over and over again while promoting a Disney film at the same time. I can't believe some Disney executive didn't take her aside to ask her to shut up as she was actively hurting the movie she was promoting.

As for Emma, she couldn't criticize Cinderella anyway as Belle is saved by the beast from the wolves, Hermione Granger is in peril all the time in HP (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOVMq7YF1ss) and,as you mentioned, her character in TTOD is also in distress towards the climax of the film.

[Tristy]

Well, I guess when you are a celebrity, you can say about anything even in regards to someone you work for

Also in all honesty it's not like Disney cares themselves and pretty much take these bad faith criticisms and tries to"fix the issues" with the live action remakes and the scene in Ralph Breaks the Internet. They're kind of giving into these hot takes without looking at the movies themselves.

If there are people who hate Cinderella that's fine. Everyone has their own opinion. I do like it but I wouldn't say it's up there in my top ten. My issues are the mice singing can be a little grating and they could have had a bit more with the king instead of just being hot tempered if things don't go his way. It's just the kinds of criticisms that are like what Keira is saying or what some other people on the internet say to sort of miss the point or character motives of the story get a bit tiresome. Like can you tell me about issues you have with the pacing? Do you find certain characters annoying? Not repeating the same thing over and over again.

Also I don't have issues when someone is playing a villain in a movie for their kids. Idris Elba after all said he played Shere Kahn because he wanted his kids to see him in a Disney film. It's more a case of "Well if you are so concerned about what characters your kids are growing up with, why are you playing a character that's evil?"

[Redadoodles]

Well, I guess when you are a celebrity, you can say about anything even in regards to someone you work for

Also in all honesty it's not like Disney cares themselves and pretty much take these bad faith criticisms and tries to"fix the issues" with the live action remakes and the scene in Ralph Breaks the Internet. They're kind of giving into these hot takes without looking at the movies themselves.

If there are people who hate Cinderella that's fine. Everyone has their own opinion. I do like it but I wouldn't say it's up there in my top ten. My issues are the mice singing can be a little grating and they could have had a bit more with the king instead of just being hot tempered if things don't go his way. It's just the kinds of criticisms that are like what Keira is saying or what some other people on the internet say to sort of miss the point or character motives of the story get a bit tiresome. Like can you tell me about issues you have with the pacing? Do you find certain characters annoying? Not repeating the same thing over and over again.

Also I don't have issues when someone is playing a villain in a movie for their kids. Idris Elba after all said he played Shere Kahn because he wanted his kids to see him in a Disney film. It's more a case of "Well if you are so concerned about what characters your kids are growing up with, why are you playing a character that's evil?"

Well, Disney executives have to care to an extent as Cinderella is a hugely popular character in the Disney princess franchise so insulting her (or her fans) will result in a financial loss and that's what happened with The Nutcracker (add to that that it's a mediocre film on its own).
If Keira had only said that moronic thing on just one show and moved on, it would have been okay I guess but she didn't (even though she received major criticism worldwide from both Cinderella fans and feminists) . There are at least five interviews of her bashing both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid instead of focusing on the film she was promoting which was The Nutcracker.
Finally, the fact that she played a damsel in distress (who was rescued times and times again) herself in a Disney film is beyond insane, especially when you realize that Cinderella never wished for a prince but also that she was never rescued by him at all either. She rescued herself with the help of her friends.

[thedisneyspirit]

It wouldn't be long for the Classic Cultists to come along and actually go in classic sexism and attacking other female characters just because they're not the "right way" to be a woman.

It's hilarious, you claim others are insecure for attacking your faves, but then you claim the moral high ground and how you're totally not insecure when you say such offensive things like "Mulan is a genocidal monster" "Esmeralda is a nazi" and "Judy should be boiled alive" just because they're not the proper shade of womanhood that you like. Because those statements aren't offensive at all.

[Disney Duster]

Well Cinderella was probably dreaming of love. She wasn't waiting for a rich guy to save her, but the truth of the matter was she was waiting for her faith to bring her what she wanted and that came in the form of a fairy godmother and rich guy. She does save herself with her slipper idea, but without the prince she wouldn't be saved, too.

So Emma didn't connect with Cinderella. Well then it makes sense she could still play damsels in distress since she didn't say that's why she didn't want to play Cinderella.

I think an actor can speak out against a company they work for and their movies and characters if they want.

I don't think playing a villain who's behavior is meant to be bad means you are hypocritical for speaking out against behavior you think is bad but is signaled as good, such as, in Keira's opinion, Cinderella and Ariel's behavior.

Thedisneyspirit, what the...? No one said any of those things you said.

[Redadoodles]

Well Cinderella was probably dreaming of love. She wasn't waiting for a rich guy to save her, but the truth of the matter was she was waiting for her faith to bring her what she wanted and that came in the form of a fairy godmother and rich guy. She does save herself with her slipper idea, but without the prince she wouldn't be saved, too.

So Emma didn't connect with Cinderella. Well then it makes sense she could still play damsels in distress since she didn't say that's why she didn't want to play Cinderella.

I think an actor can speak out against a company they work for and their movies and characters if they want.

Not when they're promoting a film by that same company. It's as if the runners at Mattel were bashing Barbie while promoting a new fashion doll. It doesnt make any sense from a business point of view.

[Disney Duster]

I know it is going against the company you are working for, I just think we should live in a world where we can speak out about anything, even against a company we are working for.

[Redadoodles]

I know it is going against the company you are working for, I just think we should live in a world where we can speak out about anything, even against a company we are working for.

I am not saying she shouldn't haha.. I am all for free speech but she should have tried to avoid that subject while promoting The Nutcracker. It was sending mixed messages to the audience.

[Disney Duster]

If Kiera Knightly was in a new Cinderella adaptation, and that version's story and main character went exactly the same way as the Walt Disney one, and she said what she said, then I could see that as sending mixed messages. But Walt Disney's Cinderella is an old movie, and Kiera was saying The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is more progressive. I don't see that as sending mixed messages or wrong.

[Redadoodles]

It depends on which interview you're referring to. There is an interview of her saying that she doesn't like princesses period. I'll try to find it for you as I didn't include it in the video I made about her. Besides you can't call something more anything when you change the former story and the character's motivations to fit your own political agenda.

Anyway, for those who are interested, I made a compilation regrouping several making of the Disney princesses from Snow White (1937) to princess Tiana (2009). I edited it and added more conceptual artwork, interviews from the animators (Mark Henn, Glenn Keane, Randy Hancock etc...) and actresses who portrayed them including: Illene Woods, Mary Costa, Jodi Benson, Paige O'hara, Linda Larkin, Irene Bedard, Ming Na Wen, Cree Summers and Anika Noni Rose.
Enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn-l0Ef7CM4&t=8s

[Disney Duster]

Oh, well you can hate princesses but it's not a mixed message when you are playing a non-princess. I do agree though, Cinderella was not exactly the way she said it was.

Wow, great video! I loved it! And I loved the funny ending, lol. Why did you stop at Tiana though?

[Redadoodles]

Haha I don't think you're understanding my point. My point is that she's promoting a Disney flick while destroying another one. The fact that she did that turned off a LOT of people from seeing The Nutcracker in theatre (I waited two years) and that is business suicide. If she had only talked that one time on the Ellen show about Cinderella and moved on. I would have been okay with it I guess but what bothers me is:

1.She repeated her distortion of the story and character in five different interviews (even though she received massive backlash for it).
2.Played a damsel in distress in another Disney flick which makes her completely hypocritical. (Elizabeth Swan screams and is in peril more times than both Ariel and Cinderella combined).
3.Returned as Elizabeth Swan in 2017 for a Disney paycheck.

By the way, even her role in Pride and Prejudice is a damsel to some extent as Mr Darcy saved her (and by extension her whole family) by finding Lydia and arranging a marriage for her. If it wasn't for him, the whole family would have been destroyed so yes,she was "rescued" by a rich guy that she ended up marrying.
It may sound as if I hate Keira but I don't and I also love many of her older films such as The hole, Pirates, Bend It Like Beckham, The Duchess, Atonement and Pride And Prejudice. However, my love for those films don't stop me from seeing how stupid she comes across sometimes and that's why I respect someone like Emma Watson much more as she doesn't vomit her views in every single interviews and doesn't need to bash a character she doesn't like to get promote another.

As for the video, I stopped at Tiana because I wanted to promote 2D animation more than anything. That's why I made it in the first place. Thanks for watching it.

[Disney Duster]

No, I do get your point. I am saying I disagree with it. I think you can promote one film and bash another even when both films belong to the same company. I disagree with you on that not being ok.

Also, her speaking out against Cinderella and The Little Mermaid is probably her way of trying to save girls from doing things that are bad for them. She's probably saying it all in hopes people don't let it happen to their daughters. I mean, yeah, she's wrong, but she's trying to do something good.

Oh, so now I get why you did that with the princess video and I like that!