Star named after Disney princess now gets to be one

  • By Rick Bentley The Fresno Bee
  • Friday, November 16, 2012 2:33pm
  • Life

“Modern Family” star Ariel Winter wanted to grow up to be “a doctor, Wonder Woman or a lot of other different things.” She would be lying like Pinocchio if she didn’t finally admit that she was born to be a Disney princess.

“I was named after the Little Mermaid and she’s always been my favorite. That’s why I also wanted to be a princess when I was younger,” said the 14-year-old actress.

It’s as if the Blue Fairy granted Ariel’s wish because she’s now providing the voice for the new Disney Junior’s animated princess Sofia the First. A movie, “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess,” airs at 7 p.m. Sunday night to introduce the character. Then her royal TV series will be unveiled early next year.

This is a change in the world of Disney Princesses. All of the other members of the royal court — Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, etc. — have come from feature films. Sofia is the first introduced in an original TV movie and series.

Sofia is also a game changer because she is the first preteen to wear the crown. The film explains how Sofia is suddenly thrown into the royal world when her mother marries King Roland II. That means instead of being worried whether her Prince will come, Sofia’s got schoolwork and peer pressure to keep her busy.

Before you can say bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, Sophia finds herself living in a castle alongside her step-siblings, Amber and James. If there’s one thing a Disney Princess needs to know is how to handle step-family. She gets help from the usual cast of Disney characters: the stuffy steward Baileywick (voiced by Tim Gunn); a gaggle of cute woodland creatures; and three familiar looking headmistresses at the Royal Prep Academy: Fauna, Flora and Merryweather, the trio who were a royal help for Princess Aurora in “Sleeping Beauty.”

“There will also be a lot of the classic Disney Princess because Sofia has an amulet, given to her by her step-father, that gives her special powers like being able to talk to the animals or get help from other Princesses when she’s in trouble,” Ariel said.

It’s a royal secret as to which Princesses will show up, but Ariel’s rooting for an appearance by her namesake.

It wouldn’t be the proper vehicle for a Disney Princess without a few musical numbers. No matter which Princess shows up, you can count on a tune or two with Sofia.

Ariel’s been acting since she was 6, appearing in commercials, movies such as “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and the TV shows “ER” and “Crossing Jordan.” Currently, the San Diego native gets to show off her comedy skills playing Alex Dunphy on the ABC comedy “Modern Family.” But there haven’t been a lot of opportunities to sing until now.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.