The 15 Most Criticized Disney Princesses, Ranked (2024)

Disney princesses are a source of happiness for many fans and have become role models for young children. To many Disney viewers, the princesses represent everything people love about the animation studio. The magic, grace, and wonder associated with each princess remind fans that anything is possible, or at least, it is in the world of Disney.

However, not every Disney princess is well-liked. Despite most people's love of Disney princesses, plenty of them weren't well-received. For some people, the princesses represent the lack of independence women had at the time of films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. For others, it's simply because they don't like the princesses' personalities.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 13, 2024: While everyone loves a good Disney Princess story, some are better than others. From Wish's Asha to Hercules's Megara, there are some Disney Princesses who have been criticized by fans.

15 Asha Didn't Connect With Viewers

Wish

PG

Adventure

Comedy

A young girl named Asha wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her.

Director

Fawn Veerasunthorn , Chris Buck

Release Date

November 22, 2023

Cast

Chris Pine , Alan Tudyk , Ariana DeBose , Evan Peters

Writers

Jennifer Lee , Allison Moore , Chris Buck

Runtime

1 Hour 35 Minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Production Company

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Disney's newest princess comes in the form of Asha, the main character of the studio's 100th anniversary celebratory film Wish. Voiced by Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, Asha goes on a long and perilous journey to free her kingdom's wishes from the selfish King Magnifico.

Although Asha has a fun personality, she--and the entire movie by extension--is a far cry from the lovable and identifiable princesses of Disney's Renaissance. Asha doesn't leave a particularly strong impression on viewers, suggesting that Disney's most memorable characters may have been confined to the studio's first century of filmmaking.

14 Megara Was Working Against Hercules

Hercules

PG-13

Musical

Fantasy

Comedy

The son of Zeus and Hera is stripped of his immortality as an infant and must become a true hero in order to reclaim it.

Director

John Musker , Ron Clements

Release Date

June 13, 1997

Studio

Disney

Cast

Tate Donovan

Runtime

93 minutes

Hercules includes the character of Megara who, despite not being an official princess, is often lumped in with the other Disney Princesses. She emerges as a love interest for the titular god, eventually leading Hercules to give up his godhood on Olympus in order to remain on Earth with her.

Although Megara's sarcasm and nonchalance have been instrumental in her becoming a relatable character, one can't forget the circ*mstances under which she first met Hercules. She began as an agent of Hades, working to trap Hercules in a scheme that would be his inevitable downfall. Megara eventually betrayed Hades, but still nearly led Hercules straight to his doom.

13 Raya Caused The Apocalypse

Raya and the Last Dragon

PG

Animation

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

In a realm known as Kumandra, a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization, a warrior named Raya is determined to find the last dragon.

Director

Don Hall , Carlos López Estrada , Paul Briggs

Release Date

March 5, 2021

Cast

Kelly Marie Tran , Awkwafina , Gemma Chan , Benedict Wong , Daniel Dae Kim

Runtime

1 hour 47 minutes

Raya and the Last Dragon is one of the highest-rated modern Disney movies, featuring the titular character of Raya, a warrior who is left to scour the land after her kingdom's fall. Unlike certain other Disney Princesses, Raya is a skilled and capable warrior, who uses her training to help save her world from complete destruction.

For all her strong suits, Raya is the one who inadvertently brought about the disaster that laid ruin to her land. Her myopic worldview and distaste for her neighboring kingdoms cost many people their lives--at least temporarily. Thankfully, Raya learned from her mistakes and made things right, but she still was responsible for untold pain and suffering.

12 Jane Porter Fell In Love With An Ape-Man

Disney's Tarzan

Adventure

A man raised by gorillas must decide where he really belongs when he discovers he is a human.

Director

Kevin Lima , Chris Buck

Release Date

June 16, 1999

Studio

Walt Disney

Cast

Tony Goldwyn , Minnie Driver

Runtime

88 minutes

Jane Porter is another prominent female character in the Disney canon who is loosely associated with the Disney Princesses despite not being actual royalty. In Tarzan, she accompanies her father on a scientific expedition in the rainforest, where she encounters a man who had been raised by apes.

Although Jane and Tarzan's love story carries much of the film, viewers must still wonder about someone who would fall in love with a man she met living in the jungle. With this in mind, Jane's judgment may not be her finest trait.

11 Rapunzel's Story Had Some Flaws

Tangled

Musical

Adventure

Fantasy

Comedy

The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.

Director

Nathan Greno , Byron Howard

Release Date

November 24, 2010

Cast

Mandy Moore , Zachary Levi , Donna Murphy , Frank Welker , Dee Bradley Baker

Runtime

100 minutes

Studio(s)

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Unlike most Disney princesses, fans typically hate Rapunzel for her story rather than her character. Tangled fans have claimed that Rapunzel received the best possible outcome to her situation, but it didn't make sense that she got everything she wanted.

Viewers dislike Rapunzel for her bubbly personality, self-righteousness, and social skills, which people claim are unrealistic after spending 18 years locked in a tower. Viewers have also claimed that she is a damsel in distress who needs Eugene's saving, an overused Disney cliché.

10 Jasmine Is Difficult To Love

Aladdin (1992)

G

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

Fantasy

A kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.

Director

Ron Clements , John Musker

Release Date

November 25, 1992

Cast

Scott Weinger , Robin Williams , Linda Larkin , Jonathan Freeman , Frank Welker , Gilbert Gottfried , Brad Kane , Lea Salonga

Runtime

1 hour 30 minutes

In Aladdin, Jasmine broke many barriers. She was the first Disney princess to wear pants and the first to express no interest in falling in love. More importantly, she had a tiger instead of a small, fuzzy animal sidekick. Still, viewers hate her contemptuous attitude and disinterest in Aladdin, the lovable protagonist of the film.

Jasmine's independence was a relatively new concept for a Disney princess when Aladdin came out. She was insulted at the thought of being a man's prize and was willing to run away to avoid a life of loveless marriage, which is something fans appreciate about her. While Jasmine's dislike of Aladdin is reasonable, it still angers fans of the caring and heroic protagonist.

9 Merida Breaks Disney Princess Tradition

Brave

PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

Director

Mark Andrews , Brenda Chapman , Steve Purcell

Release Date

June 19, 2012

Studio

Pixar

Cast

Kelly Macdonald , Billy Connolly , Emma Thompson , Julie Walters

Writers

Brenda Chapman , Mark Andrews , Steve Purcell

Runtime

93 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Brave was a successful film, but Merida is still one of the least popular Disney princesses. Her snarky attitude is off-putting to viewers, and her arrogance in her archery can become quite jarring. Although Merida strives for independence and is the first Disney princess without a love interest, some viewers still dislike her.

While she isn't the most popular Disney Princess, fans of Merida have theorized that the hatred stems from her constant breaking of traditions: she's a princess without a prince, would rather speak her mind than stay quiet, and enjoys archery more than tableside manners.

8 Anna Is A Step Backward For Disney Princesses

Frozen

Musical

Fantasy

When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister Anna teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition.

See Also

Top 6 Most Beautiful Queens in History

Director

Chris Buck , Jennifer Lee

Release Date

November 27, 2013

Cast

Kristen Bell , Idina Menzel , Jonathan Groff , Josh Gad , Santino Fontana , Jennifer Lee , Maurice LaMarche

Runtime

102 minutes

Studio(s)

Walt Disney Animation Studios

One of the reasons many Disney fans dislike Anna from Frozen is because they view her as over-dependent and needy. However, these personality traits stemmed from her being alone for most of her life. Detractors have also claimed that Anna is simply a plot device for Elsa. Other characters prompt most of her actions, which happens even more in Frozen 2.

Many viewers also criticize Anna for having a love interest in a film that was lauded for emphasizing familial relationships over romantic ones. Her eagerness to fall in love and Kristoff eventually rescuing her is off-putting to viewers who had thought that Disney's damsel-in-distress days were over.

7 Belle Is The Victim Of Stockholm Syndrome

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

G

Animation

Family

Fantasy

Musical

A prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.

Director

Gary Trousdale , Kirk Wise

Release Date

November 21, 1991

Cast

Paige O'Hara , Robby Benson , Angela Lansbury , Jerry Orbach , David Ogden Stiers , Bradley Pierce , Jesse Corti , Richard White

Runtime

1 hour 24 minutes

Very few Disney princesses were actually progressive until Belle came around. A young woman asserting her independence and love for knowledge in a Medieval environment was nothing less than revolutionary. Unfortunately, there's another side to Belle's iconic character.

Her relationship with the Beast has been described as a product of Stockholm Syndrome. Belle sacrificing her safety for her father was undoubtedly a noble act, but putting herself in danger seemed both foolish and reckless. Further, some fans found Belle's decision to "fix" the Beast rather problematic, as it implies that women are meant to support abusive men.

6 Ariel Made Questionable Life Choices In The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid

PG

Fantasy

Adventure

A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.

Director

John Musker , Ron Clements

Release Date

November 17, 1989

Studio

Disney

Cast

Jodi Benson , christopher daniel barnes , Pat Carroll

Main Genre

Fantasy

One of the biggest complaints about Disney princesses is that they're helpless without men. Ariel from The Little Mermaid was the first princess to break this pattern, but Disney fans still dislike her. This time, viewers are directing the complaint toward how and why Ariel went about chasing her dreams.

Ariel sees Prince Eric on his ship and immediately falls in love with him, which isn't necessarily bad. However, after meeting Ursula the Sea Witch, Ariel trades her voice for the chance to be with Eric, a man she doesn't know. The message this sent to children was questionable at best, but at least Ariel had goals in life.

5 Cinderella Is A Pushover

Cinderella (1950)

G

Family

Fantasy

Musical

Romance

When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq and from her Fairy Godmother.

Director

Clyde Geronimi , Wilfred Jackson , Hamilton Luske

Release Date

March 4, 1950

Cast

Ilene Woods , James MacDonald , Eleanor Audley , Verna Felton

Runtime

1 hour 14 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Production Company

Walt Disney Pictures

It's no secret that Cinderella comes from a terrible living situation in Cinderella. Her stepmother and stepsisters are cruel and nasty, and her father died when she was a young girl. However, many viewers criticize Cinderella's behavior and her devotion to always being kind.

Cinderella is, in short, nice to everyone, including her ungrateful family. She takes every insult with a smile and always treats her stepmother with respect. This is an uncomfortable sight, especially considering today's standards and what children should be learning from movie characters.

4 Elsa Is A Very Selfish Character

Frozen II

PG

Fantasy

Adventure

Comedy

Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.

Director

Chris Buck , Jennifer Lee

Release Date

November 7, 2019

Cast

Idina Menzel , Kristen Bell , Jonathan Groff , Josh Gad , Sterling K. Brown , Evan Rachel Wood

Runtime

1 hour 43 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Frozen is one of Disney's most successful movies, and it has spawned several short films and a sequel. Nevertheless, Elsa is one of the most disliked Disney princesses for several reasons. To first-time viewers, Elsa is a complicated princess with cool ice powers.

Upon rewatching, however, it's easy to see that Elsa is an extremely self-involved person who isn't much of a role model. Although she constantly worries about hurting people with her powers, Elsa shirks all her responsibility to her kingdom to "let go" of her fears, ignoring the fact that she's a queen with people looking to her for help.

3 Pocahontas's Story Is A Warped View Of The Real Story

Pocahontas

G

Animation

Adventure

Drama

Musical

An English soldier and the daughter of an Algonquin chief share a romance when English colonists invade seventeenth century Virginia.

Director

Mike Gabriel , Eric Goldberg

Release Date

June 23, 1995

Cast

Irene Bedard , Mel Gibson , Linda Hunt , Judy Kuhn , Russell Means , David Ogden Stiers

Runtime

1 hour 21 minutes

Most people who watched Pocahontas know that it's a retelling of a real story. What some people aren't aware of, however, is that Pocahontas is a problematic and dishonest retelling. In reality, Pocahontas (aka Matoaka) was kidnapped by Englishmen after the tribe didn't meet their demands for food. She converted to Christianity and had a son with a man named John Rolfe.

Pocahontas portrays a romanticized sequence of events, ending with the Englishmen leaving Pocahontas in peace. Through no fault of her own, Pocahontas is one of the most hated Disney princesses in history.

2 Aurora Is Barely A Character In Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

G

Animation

Fantasy

Adventure

Family

After being snubbed by the royal family, a malevolent fairy places a curse on a princess which only a prince can break, along with the help of three good fairies. Directed by Les Clark, Clyde Geronimi, and Eric Larson.

Release Date

January 29, 1959

Cast

Mary Costa , Eleanor Audley , Bill Shirley , Verna Felton , Barbara Luddy , Barbara Jo Allen

Runtime

1 hour 15 minutes

Even though Sleeping Beauty was released 22 years after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Aurora is not much better than Snow White. She allows everything to happen to her, even before Maleficent puts her in a trance. Many Disney fans have complained about Aurora, claiming that her only notable trait is beauty.

Sleeping Beauty hammers home the message that Aurora is the perfect woman, but she only has 18 lines of dialogue, which doesn't bode well for that message. This may stem from the fact that Aurora spends most of the film asleep, but some argue that the titular character should have more of a role in the movie.

1 Snow White Has No Ambitions Of Her Own

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Approved

Musical

Fantasy

Adventure

Animation

Exiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, a princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make her part of their household.

Director

David Hand , William Cottrell , Wilfred Jackson

Release Date

December 21, 1937

Cast

Adriana Caselotti

Writers

Jacob Grimm , Wilhelm Grimm , Ted Sears

Runtime

1 hour 23 minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Production Company

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Snow White was the first Disney princess. As such, her lack of personality and character exploration is due to when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released. Nevertheless, Snow White is one of the least popular Disney princesses due to her inability to think for herself and have her own goals.

Snow White is simply known as a beautiful woman who can sing and talk to animals. Beyond that, she has no personality or ambition. She marries the first man she sees after he kisses her while she's unconscious, a deeply problematic sentiment. Disney fans often question what kind of message Snow White sends to children. This results in Snow White being one of the most disliked Disney Princesses of all time.

Disney

From movies to television and beyond, the Disney franchise incorporates most of the company's original works.

Created by

Walt Disney

First Film

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Latest Film

Wish

Upcoming Films

Inside Out 2

TV Show(s)

The Mickey Mouse Club , Mickey Mouse Clubhouse , The Wonderful World of Disney , DuckTales

Character(s)

Mickey Mouse