By Fabvienen Taylor
Catholic News Service

JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) — Elizabeth Dampier, a fifth-grader at St. Richard Catholic School in Jackson, Mississippi, is the voice you hear when the young heroine Tiana appears in Disney’s new animated movie, “The Princess and the Frog.”

The film is a new twist on the fairy tale “The Frog Prince.” It features an African-American princess and is set in New Orleans in the 1920s.

Elizabeth, 10, said that her parents told her not to “go around bragging about being in this movie.”

“I said, ‘Yes ma’am.’ Later my mother told me I could start opening up about it,” said Elizabeth, who voices Tiana, the film’s heroine, as a young child. The older Tiana is voiced by Anika Noni Rose.

Arthur and Jeanna Dampier, 1988 graduates of St. Joseph School in Jackson, first noticed their daughter’s talent performing in school and church events at New Hope Church, where the family are members.

From there they contacted a local agent, who scheduled some acting classes and set up auditions. Elizabeth also took lessons in voice, piano and dance and appeared in commercials. She started auditioning for the Disney part about three years ago.

But learning and earning good grades is high on Elizabeth’s parents’ list of priorities.

“We always make sure she stays focused first on her relationship with God, her relationship with her family and then her schoolwork,” said Jeanna Dampier.

“(Elizabeth’s) acting and performing, we use not only as an outlet (for her) but, if her grades are not where they need to be, she definitely will not be performing. She knows that,” she added.

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