Wish's Ariana DeBose says Asha is not a Disney princess
Wish star Ariana DeBose has reflected on her character Asha's unique qualities ahead of the film's release later this month.
The latest animation — which marks Disney's 100th anniversary — follows Asha, whose wishes are answered by a cosmic force called Star. With her talking pet goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk), Asha and Star must save their magical kingdom of Rosas by confronting its formidable ruler, King Magnifico (Chris Pine).
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, DeBose has revealed her love of voicing Asha and explained why Asha isn't a Disney princess.
"I just love her character so much, and I think that what makes her different is that she is especially selfless," DeBose began.
"She doesn't make a wish for herself — she makes a wish for everyone else, for everyone around her, for the community. 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."
On her underrated job of playing Disney's modern fairy godmother, DeBose added: "It feels inherently magical, but I think for the everyday fairy godmothers in our lives, sometimes it can be a big job, but maybe it is a little underrated."
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After its world premiere on November 8, Wish earned a Fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating following critics' reviews. The rating has since dropped, and the film currently has a critics' score of 49% from 90 reviews (as of November 21).
Digital Spy branded the movie's "gorgeous hand-drawn animation" its greatest success, adding: "The plot's simplicity is a double-edged sword, as it sacrifices depth — and a certain adult edge we've come to expect from Disney's animation — in exchange for a painless concept and an Easter-Egg fest."
Wish will arrive in cinemas on November 24.
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