This Disney list details the best of the animated classics featuring cultural and racial diversity. Favorite movie quotes, songs, and the main voice actors!This list details the best of the animated classics featuring cultural and racial diversity – subjective and in no particular order. Also included are favorite movie quotes, songs, and notes on whether the main voice actors are accurate to the film.
1. Moana
This Pacific Island princess declares to god Maui:I am Moana of Motunui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti.
Maui laughs in her face, deceives her multiple times, and throws her off the boat, with song and dance to boot. Despite this, Moana maintains her identity and ambition. Eventually, she learns that basing one’s ambition on another person, or demi-god, is not the best idea and that having a backup plan is wise. Her backup plan then turns into her main plan – i.e. trusting herself! Fantastic girl power, and excellent self-determination. Moana (2016) doesn’t mess around!
Voice actors – Pacific Islanders. Great representation. Auli’i Cravalho (Moana), Dwayne Johnson (Maui)
Best Songs – “How Far I’ll Go,” “You’re Welcome”
2. Mulan
Based on the Chinese legend of Fa Mulan dating back for millennia (over 2000 years), Disney’s Mulan (1998) presents a fun-spirited and powerful story that brings honor to us all – and to the original legend. Mulan breaks the rules in order to save her father and ultimately the entirety of China as well. Mulan even makes a romantic connection with a man – as a man! Luckily, Shang still has feelings for Mulan as a woman too. Yay for being open-minded, Disney!
The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.
Voice Actors – Chinese, Black, and White. Interesting diversity, but it works! Ming-Na Wen (Mulan), Eddie Murphy (Mushu)
Best Songs – “Reflection,” “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”
3. Beauty and the Beast
Why is this considered cultural representation? Belle, the Beast’s human form, and all the rest are white! Although overrepresented in Disney movies, Caucasian people are still part of diversity! That’s why there’s just one white princess on this list – Belle in Beauty and the Beast (1991). Nevertheless, Belle beautifully demonstrates that intelligence, curiosity, and kindness are characteristics that fit a princess properly.
I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell!
Voice actors – White, which is accurate here! Paige O’Hara (Belle), Robby Benson (Beast)
Best Songs – “Beauty and the Beast,” “Be Our Guest”
4. Aladdin
Ah, one of the few Disney prince movies: Aladdin (1992)! This charismatic prince of thieves steals our hearts, along with Jasmine’s and the Genie’s. Arabic, Middle Eastern, this Disney movie is ultimately just plain fun throughout! Bravery and agility do come in handy for a prince!
Jasmine, I Do Love You, But I’ve Got To Stop Pretending To Be Something I’m Not.
Voice Actors: White… why? Scott Weinger (Aladdin), Linda Larkin (Jasmine), Robin Williams (Genie)
Best songs: “A Whole New World,” “Prince Ali”
5. Pocahontas
This film is controversial to some due to the actual history of Pocahontas. However, the main character of Disney’s Pocahontas (1995) is fantastic representation for women. Pocahontas exemplifies adventure and respect for nature in this Disney princess movie.
But I know every rock and tree and creature has a life, has a spirit, has a name.
Voice Actors: Native American, yay! And White for John Smith, fair. Irene Bedard (Pocahontas), Mel Gibson (John Smith)
Best Songs: “Just Around the Riverbend,” “Colors of the Wind”
Click Here: Disney movies about diversity
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