Misty Copeland is arguably one of the most famous ballerinas of her time. For this reason it was not a surprise when she was chosen to play the role of “ballerina princess” on the Disney’s new movie “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.” The renowned ballerina believes her character on the movie will live forever.
Misty had an interview with the Associated Press on Monday at the premier of the movie held in Los Angeles. In her interview she stated that it was a great idea to have a black ballerina in the movie as the effects will be felt by young people for several generations.
She said, “I just think it’s so special that as a black ballerina, my character is going to live on forever in this film and eventually little kids are going to look at that and say ‘oh that’s what a ballerina looks like.”
Copeland has for long been at the fore front of efforts to see more black representation in ballet. She made history as the first black woman to attain the level of principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre. Other members of the cast for the Disney movie include Morgan Freeman, McKenzie Foy and Keira Knightly.
In a video she posted on her Instagram page Copeland said, “It’s amazing to have this traditional story being told through Disney and to be able to bring me into it, a character as a ballerina, to really introduce all of the characters in the film, to the four realms.”
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