Anika Noni Rose "Thrilled" To Be Zahara's Royal Role Model

Anika Noni Rose is thrilled to provide a voice to Princess Tiana, Disney's first black princess, in the acclaimed new animated flick The Princess and the Frog. It sounds as though the Dreamgirls actress will have a couple of big fans in Angelina Jolie and her 4 1/2-year-old daughter Zahara.

Speaking to OK! last year, mom-of-six Angelina noted, "There still isn't a Disney princess that's African and it's very difficult because our daughter's getting into princesses right now and it upsets me."

Anika says she's happy that Zahara will now be able to "know herself as a princess."

“It’s wonderful," the 37-year-old Tony-winner tells OK! "I think every little girl should be able to feel themselves the princess. I think every little girl is worthy of having a princely young man, and vice versa. It’s really thrilling that Zahara will never have a moment where she didn’t see herself in that light. She’s Ethiopian. She comes from kings and queens. She should certainly know herself as a princess.”

The Princess and the Frog nabbed the top spot at the box office this past weekend.