Modern Heroines

If hearing the words “Disney Princess” brings to mind images of damsels in distress waiting for their Prince Charming, you’re skipping over Cinderella’s determination to overcome the adversity she faced, despite her circumstances—or Moana’s daring quest to save her home and her people from an ecological disaster. As part of Disney’s Ultimate Princess Celebration, ELLE is honoring real-life heroes and heroines who embody the spirit of Disney’s beloved princesses, who continue to inspire people worldwide, regardless of age.

Crop sweater, $690, brief, $390, Michael Kors Collection.
Celeste Sloman

THE STRONG-WILLED GYMNASTSunisa LeeDisney movies played a huge role in gymnast Sunisa Lee’s childhood. “I just loved Mulan—she was super powerful and knew what she wanted,” Lee says. “I could relate, because I always knew that I wanted to go to the Olympics.” Lee, who was raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as part of a tight-knit Hmong American community, saw her goal come to fruition last summer—a year later than expected. “[The postponement] was really stressful because it was something I’d worked my whole life for,” says Lee, who lost an aunt and uncle to COVID. “I didn’t know if I really wanted to do it anymore. I had a lot of self-doubt. But once I got back into the gym, I worked even harder, and it made me want to go even more because it proved how strong I was and what I was capable of.” After winning three medals in Tokyo, including the all-around gold, Lee competed on Dancing With the Stars. The Auburn University freshman is still coming to terms with her newfound fame. “I always just wanted to go to the Olympics,” she says. “There was never any thought that I would win or inspire others. It’s honestly been amazing.” —Adrienne GaffneyStyled by Ashley Furnival; hair by Irinel de León for Mane Addicts; makeup by Denika Bedrossian for Armani Beauty; set design by Julien Borno; produced by Aaron Zumback at Camp Productions.

Cape gown, Aliétte, $4,795. Earrings, Marie-Hélène de Taillac. Ring, Tiffany & Co.
Celeste Sloman

THE BRAVE ADVOCATEReshma SaujaniBefore their kids came along, Reshma Saujani and her husband shared household duties. “He cooked dinner; he did the grocery shopping; he did so much,” she says. “And then we had children. I took leave, he didn’t, and our to-do tabs shifted.” For Saujani, the debate over paternity leave is personal. “When you’re leaning into the workplace, but you still can’t get it done because you’re doing 86 percent of the domestic and cognitive labor, it’s not your fault—it’s society’s fault.” As the mastermind behind the Marshall Plan for Moms, a movement to pay mothers for their labor, and the author of Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (And Why It’s Different Than You Think) (out in March), Saujani aims to change that. She’s already made strides in closing the tech gender gap through the nonprofit Girls Who Code. “Perfectionism is ingrained in the way we raise girls,” she says. “The antidote is bravery.” Saujani sees this manifested in Brave: “Merida is headstrong and fearless; she doesn’t care what anybody else thinks. She’s the perfect example of living life brave, not perfect.” —Melissa GianniniStyled by Sarah Zendejas; hair and makeup by Claudia Lake for Chanel; produced by Fiona Lennon.

Dress, Carolina Herrera, $2,890. Turtleneck, Kotn, $39. Bracelets, Foundrae, from $5,145. Platforms, Giuseppe Zanotti, $1,050.
Celeste Sloman

THE SELF-MADE MODELHalima AdenToward the end of 2020, Halima Aden quit modeling. The Somali-American Muslim broke new ground as the first hijab-wearing model to find mainstream success in fashion, appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, on magazine covers, and walking the runway for brands like Yeezy. While designers accommodated her hijab, they often made adjustments to it that left Aden increasingly uncomfortable. She loved modeling, she says, “but it was also pulling me further away from family and my core values, and even the way that I viewed my hijab.” Almost a year later, she returned—on her own terms. She’s now a global brand ambassador for modest fashion brand Modanisa, and is partnering with Vita Coco to aid coconut-farming communities around the world. She’s also working on a children’s book based on her childhood experience living in a Kenyan refugee camp. Aden loves Mulan as a woman driven by her principles—much like herself. “She wasn’t born or married into royalty; she had an interesting story. She’s strong, fierce, and will make the necessary sacrifices to put her family first.” —AGStyled by Katie Keim; makeup by Christopher Ardoff for Christian Dior; manicure by Julie Kandalec for Chanel Le Vernis; produced by Fiona Lennon; special thanks to 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Center.

Wrap gloves with train, Marc Jacobs, $4,420. Top, $570, Pants, $1,610, Miu Miu. Choker, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, $395. Pumps, Manolo Blahnik, $665.
Celeste Sloman

THE SELF-ASSURED FUTURE ASTRONAUTAlyssa CarsonAsk Alyssa Carson what she was up to over the summer, and you’ll likely hear stories about jumping out of airplanes and living underwater for over 24 hours. Considering the 20-year-old’s unwavering mission since roughly age three has been to visit Mars, this shouldn’t be too surprising. “Mars is still kind of the ultimate goal, but I’m also not super picky,” says Carson, who entered the Project PoSSUM astronaut training program at 15 and is currently studying astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology. Her proudest moments so far, however, have involved inspiring other young people to study STEM. “A while ago, I was talking to some middle school girls, and one girl was like, ‘Well, I like fashion and I also like space,’ and I was like, ‘You can make designer spacesuits!’ ” Carson could relate as a self-proclaimed “space kid” who also had a pink room with a Disney Princess border. “For Halloween, I typically dressed up as Jasmine—I think I just liked her outfit the most,” she says with a laugh. “But I loved how they all had adventurous spirits and were pretty princesses at the same time.” —MGStyled by Anatolli Smith; hair and makeup by Wendy Karcher; set design by Matthew Arthur; produced by Katherine Prato Productions.

Dress, Diotima, $850. Bracelet, Boots, $1,490, Dior.
Makeda Sandford

THE COURAGEOUS DIRECTOR Chai VasarhelyiChai Vasarhelyi’s 2018 documentary Free Solo ascended great heights, literally and figuratively. The film, which she codirected with husband Jimmy Chin, chronicled Alex Honnold’s historic climb of El Capitan without a rope, and won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. But the duo’s latest project, The Rescue, is set firmly underground, revisiting the daring recovery of 12 boys and their soccer coach from the depths of a flooded cave in Thailand. “I think it’s one of the great stories of the past decade—you don’t think it’s going to turn out well, but people really rose to their best,” she says. “Because of the pandemic, people are asking all these questions about the intentionality of their life, like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ It’s a question that comes up in the film.” In between shooting Free Solo and The Rescue, Vasarhelyi took her children to Disney World, prompting her daughter’s quest for a Mulan doll. “She’s not afraid to be who she wants to be, she’s not afraid to fight, and she’s very close to her family,” Vasarhelyi says of the princess, adding that she’s also a fan. “Plus, she looks like us.” —AGStyled by Anatolli Smith; hair by Lindsay Block; makeup by Dani Levi; produced by Fiona Lennon.
THE CREATIVE DREAMERJennifer Lee

Dress, $2,650, belt, $1,090, Alexander McQueen. Earrings, ring, Fernando Jorge. Ring, Carbon & Hyde. Stylist’s own bracelet. Sandals, Giuseppe Zanotti, $1,396.
Celeste Sloman

When Jennifer Lee was young, watching Cinderella helped her cope with the severe bullying she was experiencing. Years later, she was able to offer a new generation of children a similar sense of hope as the writer of Frozen, which she directed with Chris Buck. “Cinderella gave me something I could hold on to,” she says. “When we started hearing about what Frozen has meant to people and how it’s affected their lives, I related because of Cinderella. It means a lot to be a part of something that can be there for people if they need it and speak to true emotions.”Lee, the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, joined Disney for what was initially a short gig on the writing team for Wreck-It Ralph. Since then, the Oscar winner has written and directed Frozen 2 and executive produced Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto. “Animation is so collaborative. I can look at every shot and know the layers it took to get there and the number of people who were a part of every idea,” Lee says. After several years in the business, she’s still “just as much in awe of the process, and excited that I get to be a part of it.” —AGStyled by Christopher Campbell; hair by Aaron Light for R+Co; makeup by Kelly Shew for M.A.C Cosmetics; set design by Julien Borno; produced by Aaron Zumback at Camp Productions.
THE POWERFUL ATHLETE Naomi Osaka

Top, skirt, Louis Vuitton.
Djeneba Aduayom

“Being authentically myself is the value I most strive for,” says Naomi Osaka. “I’ve never wanted to feel pressured into conforming to what other people think I should be.” This sentiment rang true during 2020’s US Open, when the 23-year-old tennis champion wore masks printed with the names of victims of police brutality, and was reaffirmed more recently, when she withdrew from this year’s French Open and Wimbledon to prioritize her mental health. Osaka stays true to her values off the court as well. This month, she launched Kinlò, a unisex skin care brand that “fills a gap in the need for skin and sun care for melanated skin,” she says. And in May, she expanded Play Academy, her initiative to increase girls’ participation in sports, which now has a presence in Japan, where she was born; Los Angeles, where she currently lives; and Haiti, where her father is from. While Osaka acknowledges she’ll always love Ariel—“my sister Mari and I watched The Little Mermaid millions of times growing up”—the princess she most relates to today is Mulan, “because she saved people rather than waiting to be saved.” —MGStyled by Karla Welch; hair by Marty Harper at The Wall Group; makeup by Autumn Moultrie at The Wall Group; produced by Crawford Productions.THE SPIRITED TRAILBLAZERJosie Totah

Shirt, $1,450, trousers, $1,450, boots, $1,490, Fendi. Rings, Chanel Fine Jewelry, from $3,550.
Celeste Sloman

As a child star, Josie Totah stole scenes. But now, as a 20-year-old woman, she’s defining her own path, and leading Hollywood toward a more inclusive future. After memorable turns in Glee and Other People, Totah has landed a starring role in Peacock’s Saved by the Bell. The actress, who opened up about her experience as a transgender girl in a 2018 essay, plays a trans character on the show, and is also a series producer. “Being a producer allowed me to tell the most authentic story possible for my character—I felt that without that title, I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” she says. Born in August 2001 to parents of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, Totah recalls being inundated with negative stereotypes of Arab and Middle Eastern people while growing up. She didn’t see “thoughtful, accurate representations of Arab people just being who they are, which is normal people,” she says, until watching Disney’s Aladdin. “Getting to see myself [in Jasmine], who has a little bit darker hair, a little bit more melanin, was amazing and made me feel proud. She’s a Middle Eastern queen.” —AGStyled by Sarah Zendejas; hair by Ro Morgan for Bumble & Bumble; makeup by Yinna Wang for Dior; set design by DJ Repoman; produced by Fiona Lennon.
THE GENEROUS MULTIHYPHENATEEva Longoria

CAFTAN, OSCAR DE LA RENTA, $3,290. EARRINGS, FENDI, $370–$590 EACH.
Celeste Sloman

“People think I’m an actor turned producer/director, but I’ve always been a producer/director who fell into acting,” says Eva Longoria. Before too long, that ambiguity will be gone with the release of Flamin’ Hot, the Searchlight Pictures biopic of Frito-Lay executive Richard Montañez, and Longoria’s first feature-film director credit. After that, Longoria will produce, direct, and costar in the Kerry Washington–led comedy 24-7 and the action comedy film Spa Day. Throughout her career, Longoria has been active in immigration advocacy and Latinx causes. This past winter, she helped deliver meals and water during the disastrous winter storm in Texas. “Careerwise, directing, producing, and acting, that’s what I do, but who I am is more important,” she says. “Affordable housing and health care, access to quality education—those things are a little more important than who’s watching my TV show.” But in terms of feeling seen onscreen, Longoria says the film Aladdin was a revelation. “I loved Jasmine,” she says of the spirited character, who also happened to be Disney’s first princess of color. “She had dark hair and dark skin. I was like, ‘She looks like me!’ ” —AGStyled by Sarah Schussheim; hair by Amaran Asylum at Illumemanagement; makeup by Elan Bongiorno at Rouge Artists; produced by Aaron Zumback at Camp Productions.
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THE GRACEFUL DANCERMisty Copeland

BODYSUIT, SKIRT, $2,195, GIORGIO ARMANI.
Celeste Sloman

Misty Copeland is back in the studio. After more than a year of training remotely, the American Ballet Theatre principal—and perhaps the biggest name in American dance—is hard at work on Flower, a short dance film and “love letter” to Oakland, California, which addresses the city’s history of redlining and gentrification. “This time has been a beautiful transitional learning process for me,” says the Armani Crossroads ambassador of the pause in her grueling schedule. Copeland, who became part of the Disney family when she starred in the 2018 film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, says that Disney films were her first introduction to dance as a child. In conversation (and while performing), the creative powerhouse embodies the grace and warmth of Frozen’s Elsa, but growing up, Copeland felt a strong connection to Belle of Beauty and the Beast. “I loved the way she would move throughout the town, with such poise and grace, even though she wasn’t this wealthy, elite princess,” she says. “I also loved The Little Mermaid. Ariel and Belle were my two favorites—I was obsessed with them.—AGStyled by Sarah Zendejas; hair by Jeff Francis for Living Proof; makeup by Victor Henao at B&A; produced by Fiona Lennon.THE BRAVE JUSTICE-SEEKERAmanda Nguyen

DRESS, TROUSERS, ÁO DÀI, TAILORED AND CODESIGNED BY THAI NGUYEN, TIM NGUYEN, AND AMANDA NGUYEN. EARRINGS, RINGS, FROM $2,100, TIFFANY & CO.
Celeste Sloman

Amanda Nguyen just passed a law. Her thirty-seventh, in fact. After being raped in college, Nguyen started the organization Rise, which put together the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, designed to make the reporting process more streamlined. It’s been passed federally and in 30 states, as well as Washington, DC. “It’s absolutely possible to create change,” she says. This year, in the face of an epidemic of racist violence, Rise pivoted to include work on advocacy for the AAPI community. Nguyen, who grew up loving Mulan, appreciates how Disney princesses and queens show that bravery doesn’t have to stick to only a masculine presentation, “that you can be brave while being vulnerable, that courage doesn’t mean lack of fear,” she says. “I think Disney princesses and queens are such feminists.” Even with all she has achieved, Nguyen, who interned for NASA, still has one big goal: space. She’s long been vocal about her dream of becoming an astronaut and hints that it just might come true. “I’ll just say that I’m very excited for my future, and I still very much want to be an astronaut.”—AGStyled by Sarah Zendejas; hair by Nicolas Eldin for Bumble and Bumble; makeup by Misuzu Miyake for Chanel Beauty; produced by Fiona Lennon. THE TENACIOUS FOODIEPadma Lakshmi

GOWN, $6,990, SANDALS, $595, MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION.
Celeste Sloman

When Padma Lakshmi’s daughter Krishna, was very young, the Top Chef and Taste the Nation host told her stories of food bringing families and cultures together. A version of those stories has evolved into Tomatoes for Neela, Lakshmi’s debut children’s book, out now via Viking Books for Young Readers. Krishna is 11 now, “but books for kids take a long time!” Lakshmi says with a laugh. “In our fast-paced lives, one of the things we’ve lost—which I hope we’ve regained a little bit [in quarantine]—is the art of just spending time together, and passing down skills and knowledge and all of those family stories.” Another story involving family and food that Lakshmi and her daughter bond over is Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. “We love Tiana because she’s very steadfast and doesn’t expect an easy way out,” Lakshmi says. “A lot of success in life comes from talent, but more sustained success comes from diligence and working hard and understanding that there’s no one set, fixed goal you’ll arrive at where you’ve ‘made it.’ I think that is truly a fairy tale.” —MGStyled by Sarah Zendejas; hair by Reyna Garcia; makeup by Raul Otero at The Wall Group; produced by Fiona Lennon.This article appears in the March 2022 issue of ELLE.GET THE LATEST ISSUE OF ELLE

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