Beyoncé Declined to Audition for Princess and the Frog, Lost Role to Dreamgirls Costar Anika Noni Rose

Queen B reportedly refused to put her talents on display for producers of the Disney 'toon, missing out on a big gig

By Josh Grossberg Nov 11, 2013 5:27 PMTags
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Beyoncé could've been a Disney princess. Emphasis on could've.

In an interview with the New York Post to plug her new book, Confessions of a Casting Director, author Jen Rudin revealed that Bey was once in the running for the lead voice role in The Princess and the Frog, but apparently her apparent refusal to try out cost her.

"Beyoncé expected an offer, but wouldn't audition and so she didn't get one," Rudin told Page Six.

The New York-based casting director noted that several of the singer's fellow R&B divas felt otherwise, but ultimately the part went to a lesser-known talent who was one of Beyoncé's costars in 2006's Dreamgirls.

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"Tyra BanksJennifer Hudson wanted it. Alicia Keys auditioned three times…They had to sing, so we made it clear they needed sheet music. Tyra came in with a CD, but it didn't matter because she was so pretty and nice," said Rudin. "[Ultimately] it went to Anika Noni Rose, who was the most qualified."

The 41-year-old Rose, who played Lorell Maya Robinson in Dreamgirls, ended up being cast as Tiana, the young woman whose fateful kiss with a frog prince is the subject of Disney's (mostly) hand-drawn animated 2009 hit.

And the actress had the pipes for the job, having won a Tony Award for the 2004 Broadway musical Caroline, or Change. She's since gone on to star on the big screen in Tyler Perry's 2010 drama For Colored Girls and A&E's 2011 miniseries Bag of Bones.

As for the "Irreplaceable" singer, Beyoncé did go on to animated glory after all. In fact, instead of a princess, she went on to voice the role of Queen Tara in 20th Century Fox's CG-animated fantasy adventure Epic, which hit theaters back in May.

No word whether she had to audition.