As Disney nears its first century, it has released more information on its latest animated film, Wish. The trailer reveals a new character called Asha. With her reveal, avid fans want to know: is Asha from Wish black?
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In this explainer article, we'll talk about Asha's ethnicity in the animated film. We'll also be discussing who voices her in Wish.
Who is Asha from Wish?
Asha Hernandez is the lead character in the 2023 Disney animated film, Wish. She is described as a witty and optimistic 17-year-old. Asha hails from the magical kingdom of Rosas, which is an island off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
There is a small, tight-knit community that lives in the kingdom. Since many people from all over the world choose to immigrate to Rosas, it has a very diverse community ethnically. This means that it is full of different cultures.
Unlike everyone from the kingdom of Rosas, Asha sees darkness. Because of her pleas, an actual star reaches out to help her.
Asha's name comes from a Hindi word that means wish, hope, or desire. In Swahili, her name means life.
Is Asha from Wish Black?
Because of her appearance in the trailer, many can't help but ask is Asha from Wish black. According to Wish's fandom page, Asha is described as an "Afro-Hispanic girl with dark skin and light brown eyes."
She also has freckles across her cheeks, long black-braided hair, and large pink lips. Her trademark look is a light purple dress with a violet belt and tassels that dangle down the front of her dress.
It seems like her favorite color is purple since she wears pointy slip-on shoes to complete her look.
Who Voices Asha in Wish?
The character of Asha is voiced by Ariana DeBose, who is an Oscar-winning performer. She is a self-proclaimed Disney fan who has been described as "very active with the [recording] booth." As she prepped for her role, Ariana met with animators.
The director of Wish, Chris Buck, shared that Ariana is "expressive and fun to work with."
You can watch Ariana perform This Wish in this video:
So is Asha from Wish black? She is proudly the first Afro-Hispanic heroine to star in a feature film. This is what makes her unique.
Catch Asha from Wish as the movie gets released in theaters nationwide on November 22, 2023. Other than Ariana DeBose, the actors behind the characters of the animated film include Chris Pine as King Magnifico, Angelique Cabral as Queen Amaya, and Alan Tudyk as Valentino.
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