Jenifer Lewis to reprise Princess and the Frog role in Disney's Splash Mountain replacement
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Disney's new Splash Mountain refurbishment is getting a wave of star power from Jenifer Lewis.
The legendary singer and actress will reprise her Princess and the Frog voice role inside the upcoming, revamped Tiana's Bayou Adventure ride at Disneyland and Disney World's Magic Kingdom when they reopen in 2024.
"As depicted in this newly released rendering, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic," Disney announced Wednesday. "The 200-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and 'seeing eye snake,' Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all knowing, throughout the adventure."
Jenifer Lewis' Madam Odie in Tiana's Bayou Adventure
Lewis joins the attraction amid a growing roster of the film's returning stars, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana. Other characters making the jump from screen to park include Eudora, Charlotte, Big Daddy, the King and Queen of Maldonia, and Prince Ralphie.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure picks up after the events of the movie, its soundtrack incorporating both new and familiar tunes. Smells from the city of New Orleans will pump through the attraction's queue — particularly the smell of fresh-made beignets, a favorite of Louis'.
Following sustained criticism over the original flume ride's depiction of elements from the controversial 1946 film Song of the South — widely seen as perpetuating racist caricatures — Disney announced that both Splash Mountain attractions in the United States would transform into a new experience with aesthetics inspired by the 2009 animated feature Princess and the Frog.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images; Disney Jenifer Lewis joins Splash Mountain revamp Tiana's Bayou Adventure as Mama Odie from 'Princess and the Frog'
Disney World's version of Splash Mountain closed in January, and reportedly saw lines climb above the four-hour mark on its final day of operation. The Disneyland iteration will close on May 31 to make way for Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
One remaining version of Splash Mountain is currently in operation (with the Song of the South theme) at Tokyo Disneyland. The company has not announced whether that version will get the Princess and the Frog update as well.
See a concept rendering of Lewis' return as Mama Odie in the image above.
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