Anika Noni Rose Comments on TIANA Series Cancellation, Calls for Fan Support

Last week, it was announced that Disney had officially shelved Tiana, the musical spin-off series of The Princess and the Frog, following years of development. In an Instagram post, Tony-winner and Tiana performer Anika Noni Rose shared her thoughts about the decision, revealing that she is "deeply disappointed that the continuation of Tiana's journey in series form has been cut short."

Rose went on to praise several artists and creatives involved with the series including Jennifer Lee, writer/director Joyce Sherri, and the animators and music team that had created "a lot of beautiful work."

Though the series has been scrapped, a separate standalone special is currently in the works at the studio. In her post, Rose requested that fans tune in to the special and widely share the project when it is available: "Tell all the people you know who have loved Princess Tiana...and make sure you are watching. Show your love and your desire in the numbers." Take a look at the full comments by Rose in her post below.

The now-cancelled Tiana series, announced in 2020, was said to be a musical continuation of the 2009 film. Anika Noni Rose would have reprised her role of Tiana in the series as she "sets off for a grand new adventure as the newly crowned Princess of Maldonia, but a calling to her New Orleans past isn’t far behind.”

Last year, Rose starred as Yelena in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya alongside Steve Carell, Jonathan Hadary, William Jackson Harper, and Alfred Molina. She is also known for her performances as Emmie Thibodeaux in the Broadway production of Caroline, or Change (2004), for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Rose first voiced Tiana in the 2009 animated film and has continued her involvement with the character, having recorded a new song for Tiana's Bayou Adventure theme park attraction and written a children's book which follows the character. She was named a Disney Legend in 2011.

A modern twist on a classic tale, The Princess and the Frog film features a beautiful girl named Tiana (Rose) who dreams of owning her own restaurant. When she meets a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, a fateful kiss leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana...with the villainous voodoo magician Dr. Facilier (Keith David) in hot pursuit.