On Tuesday, actress Anika Noni Rose stopped by the Today Show to discuss her newly released children’s book featuring the fan-favorite character Tiana.
Tiana’s Perfect Plan, which is her first children’s book, is set in the world of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. The story follows Tiana as she prepares for Marti Gras at her restaurant ahead of the arrival of her royal in-laws and must find the “secret ingredient” to complete the “perfect” meal.
“The bottom line is: nothing is perfect,” the actress shared on the show. “We tie ourselves in knots trying to make things perfect…I think about all the anxiety and depression that is happening with little children right now. I feel like there needed to be a space for them to realize that the thing that is perfect is your efforts,” Rose explained. She clarifies that the story is not a morality tale, but includes these themes in the story, which isn’t just for kids.
“It’s a message for me [too]. I’ve been a perfectionist and I think that’s not something to be pleased about. It’s a way to really make life more difficult,” she added.
The actress first voiced Tiana in the 2009 animated film and has continued her involvement with the character, having recorded a new song for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure theme park attraction. She will also reprise her role as the character in the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana.
Earlier this year, Rose starred as Yelena in Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya alongside Steve Carell, Jonathan Hadary, William Jackson Harper, and Alfred Molina. She is also known for her performances as Emmie Thibodeaux in the Broadway production of Caroline, or Change (2004), for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
