Q&A with Disney's "first African-American princess"

Named for the Wyoming mountain range (her mother was planning a climb of the Tetons when she found out she was pregnant), Jackson has become Disney royalty in her role as Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog."

While the movie doesn't come out until December, Jackson offers a glimpse of the character in the new Disney on Ice production "Celebrations," which opened on the 13th at Philips Arena.

It is a first for Jackson -- she's never been a princess before -- and a first for Disney: There's never been an African-American Disney princess before.

Jackson has skated in previous Disney productions (she was Taylor McKessie in the skating version of "High School Musical") and was overall bronze medalist at the 2006 National Showcase, a U.S. Figure Skating Association theatrical skating competition.

She says the first time she was ever on the ice, at age 5, she talked her parents into letting her try out skates at the rink at Universal CityWalk. She took to it like a swan to water, and news cameras, filming winter-themed features, put her on television that night.

Apparently she also is made for this new role. "She was just a natural with it," performance director Patty Vincent said.

Jackson, 20, also handles the technical demands of the role, including the double axels. She took a moment for questions:

Q: How did you feel about being Disney's first African-American princess?

A: I'm honored. I was so nervous at first, I just wanted to do a good job. ... I'm so happy that there's an African-American princess coming out, and I think it's great, and I think it's time. And it's needed. I'm having so much fun playing the character, playing the role. Her personality is so much fun.

Q: What is Tiana like?

A: She's a very strong woman who works for what she wants, and she works hard for it, too. She doesn't need anyone to help her.