Attention, loyal subjects of the Kingdom of Cinema…more Black princesses have been found!
Since the arrival of Tiana in The Princess and the Frog (2009), Shuri of Black Panther (2018), Halle Bailey’s Ariel of The Little Mermaid (2023), and of course, the iconic Brandy Norwood as the titular character of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997), more Black princesses have emerged within our cinematic realm, including an unexpected extra Disney princess, delightfully bringing Disney a total of technically five Black Disney princesses (yes, Shuri and Brandy do count as Disney owns Marvel, and Cinderella (1997) was produced by Walt Disney Television). As Black princesses in cinema are so few and far between, we must roll out the red carpet and blow the trumpets whenever their presence is discovered. So, gather near, all, for our royal record must be updated!
The Princess of a Little-Known Tubi Movie: Janoma of Ojanoma (2022) –

Ojanoma, a Zambian-produced film, is a little gem I came across one night while casually browsing through Tubi. Both parts Cinderella and gender-swapped Sleeping Beauty, Ojanoma opens with a majestic-looking African king and queen unable to conceive a child and desperately looking for a solution that leads them to make a dangerous deal with an outcast wizard. Thus, their son, Prince Anubare, is fated to prick his finger on a fishhook and sleep eternally, unless woken by the kiss of a girl who truly loves him. Enter Ojanoma, who goes by Janoma, a village girl mistreated by her aunt and two cousins in the fashion of Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters. Both Janoma’s humble beginnings and her wardrobe transformation into a striking, black, warrior ensemble at the climax of the movie are classic staples in princess-hood (think Cinderella’s fairy godmother moment, or Elsa stepping into her own as the ice queen). Complete with a magical necklace, a wishful prince defying his parents to experience life outside of his protective confines, and a Disney-esque, power-hungry villain, Ojanoma is a fun, lighthearted tale. It’s not a polished, high-budget blockbuster—the musical numbers, although admittedly fun, play out like music videos, the special effects are reminiscent of Star Wars in the ‘70s, and the final battle is comically akin to that of a kids’ action movie. Nevertheless, it is a movie where African beauty graces the screen. Seeing Janoma played by a Nigerian actress resonates with me as a first-generation Nigerian American—what a thrill to see someone who shares my ethnic features, from skin to hair, as the princess in a movie! Seeing her makes me feel as though a Black girl such as myself could melt through the screen and fit right in as royalty…or on her way to becoming it! Ojanoma makes me yearn for more Black fairytales…
A Princess in Pink: Princess Dakeena of Ojanoma (2022) –

There is a scene in Ojanoma in which Prince Anubare must have dinner with a princess from another kingdom, Princess Dakeena, per his parents’ arrangement, and said princess arrived in a captivating pink ensemble: a light pink gown with a sparkling veil to adorn her. She was not a principal character, and her kiss could not save the prince as there was no true love between them, but she quietly slayed for the few moments she was onscreen.
A Princess in the Background of Disney’s Cinderella (2015): Princess Imani –


In a scene in Disney’s live-action Cinderella adaptation, potential princess suitors for Prince Kit arrive at the ball in opulence and majesty, their names introduced one by one. It was beautiful to see princesses from different cultures and places around the world represented in this scene, and when they announced, “Princess Imani of Shona”, a Black princess could be seen in the background stepping forward in African splendor. Would she technically be a fifth Black Disney princess? And can you imagine if Disney delved deeper into the land of Shona? What an opportunity it would be to bring a Black princess to the foreground, for anything is possible in the land of fairytales…
The Princesses of an Ill-Received Sequel: Prince Akeem’s Daughters of Coming 2 America (2021) –

While Coming 2 America was not a well-received sequel to its 1988 predecessor, the film did bring us three more Black princesses to add to our cinematic catalogue: Princess Meeka Joffer, played by KiKi Layne; Princess Omma Joffer, played by Bella Murphy (Eddie Murphy’s real-life daughter); and the youngest, Princess Tinashe Joffer, played by Akiley Love. With wardrobes styled by Ruth E. Carter—Oscar-winning costume designer for Black Panther (2018) and Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing (1989)—these princesses brought regal Zamundan poise, if nothing else could be offered to the film.
Closing Proclamation:
Notice, loyal subjects, that these princesses were discovered in the most unexpected corners of the cinematic realm, whether it be in a little-known Tubi movie, the background of a blockbuster, or a generally disliked sequel. Because that’s the thing—there aren’t a lot of Black princesses in cinema. Ojanoma is an example of how, sometimes, you must look outside of mainstream cinema to find diversity onscreen. Hence why it becomes a big deal when a traditionally white princess is reimagined with a Black lead, such as in The Little Mermaid remake. Because then, Black girls and women get to have a turn in the spotlight. Just as Nisi and Mickey of the 1997 movie B.A.P.S. dreamed of making themselves “Black American Princesses”, we dream of seeing our melanated selves represented in fairytales.
Thus, consider this both a coronation and a plea: though we have joyfully counted ten Black princesses in the Kingdom of Cinema, our beloved kingdom wishes to grow. After all, as Whitney Houston and Brandy sang back in 1997, it’s possible…
Ojanoma is currently available on Tubi. Cinderella (2015) is available to stream on Disney+, as well as available on DVD and Blu-ray. Coming 2 America is available to stream on Prime Video, as well as available on DVD and Blu-ray.