Yahoo Movies Exclusive: Wish’s Ariana DeBose defends lack of romance in recent Disney movies
Wish star Ariana DeBose has defended the lack of romance in recent Disney movies.
While the studio's animated movies have historically featured such plots, including princesses falling in love, recent outings such as Encanto and now Wish have eschewed these storylines.
The Oscar-winner voices the lead role of Asha, a 17-year-old who gets her wishes granted by a cosmic force known as Star, in the new Disney film. And she told Digital Spy that there are "stories to tell" other than romance.
Related: Wish review: Disney's new animated film is gorgeous, but it feels half-baked
“I think we live in a time where things are cyclical, right? And so, it’s good for variance and perspective," she said. "Not every female Disney character needs to have a go and ambition of simply finding a man to love her. There are more stories to tell.
"And especially in the world we live in today I think something like Wish, that has a broader outlook that talks about community, is just as important as talking about love. And there are so many different ways to love."
DeBose noted that "you do see familiar love, love of friendship" in the movie, including the relationship between Asha and Star.
Related: Disney's Wish gets Fresh rating as Rotten Tomatoes score is revealed
"Star and Asha have this beautiful connection with each other," she explained. "And so I think it’s good reminding people that not only we can tell different stories, we can also talk about love in different ways.”
During our chat with DeBose, the star also explained why Asha isn’t a Disney princess, saying that "what makes her different is that she is especially selfless".
"She doesn't make a wish for herself — she makes a wish for everyone else, for everyone around her, for the community," she added.
Related: Disney's Wish unveils magnificent LEGO castle
"She's a helper in a different way. We've had Disney princesses, we've had Disney heroines, and now we have Asha, who does what fairy godmothers do.
"They don't necessarily hand us anything, they don't necessarily tell us how to do it or how to accomplish a task. They help, and that's what Asha is doing. So I think that within the legacy of Disney characters, in that way she's very different."
Wish will arrive in cinemas on November 24.
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