Janet Igah: Amazing that you’ve entered the realm of the Disney franchise becoming Disney royalty. How does that feel to be Ursula’s little sister?

Dara Reneé: Oh, my gosh! It feels impeccable. I still can’t believe that I get to play China Anne McClain’s aunt, and I also get to be the sister of icons who played Ursula, like Queen Latifah and Melissa McCarthy, and so many icons on Broadway and the OG Ursula. It’s a dream come true. I’ve been watching the Little Mermaid since I was a little girl, and I love the new live action [production] with the first Black princess—period.

JI: This just goes so far down that road of the representation for young girls everywhere, and just seeing themselves on screen.

DR: I had already been so invested in the live action, and [my] cousins, go camping [having] sleeping bags with her full face on it. I got to be apart in such a magical way, but I also got to be something that I’ve never done before. I’ve never played a villain of this stature —someone who is already so established, I was like, ‘I cannot mess this up.’

JI: Slay.

DR: Thank you, thank you. I was like, ‘The kids are so scared of me.’

JI: That’s a good sign. That’s a when you play your role so well that people know you as your role. That’s always great. Till this day I cannot stand certain characters from The Wire.

DR: Why? Wait, I’m from Baltimore!

JI: Oh, really? So good! I’m a New York native, but “The Wire” is one of my favorite shows.

JI: I would love to know a little bit more about how the role even came about. How did you step into the role of Juliana?

DR: Oh, my goodness! Well, I had been auditioning for a while for this project, and I auditioned for so many different roles, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t think I’m going to get [this role]’ because I would audition, and then they would wait a few months, and then I would get a call back for another role. I always think it’s one of those instances where you get so close, but they’re just like, ‘Oh, we couldn’t find anything for you. I’m sorry.’ I just always had my fingers crossed, and then I remember before I got it, they’re like, well, they have Brandy attached, and I was like…

JI: Hey, sign me up!

DR: Please!

JI: Even if it’s just carrying her bags? Sure, no problem.

DR: Uliana was the last person I ever auditioned for, and I remember I read the character breakdown, and she was China Anne McClain’s aunt, and I was like, ‘Oh, we already kind of look alike, so I kind of love it.’ I loved just how dynamic the character was. In the moment they were like Uliana’s very misunderstood because everybody’s like, ‘why couldn’t you have just been Ursula?’ Uliana is suffering from imposter syndrome, and it just makes her a little bit more human-like, because she doesn’t even have her own identity. Yet she’s a sister. She doesn’t know if she’s going to follow in Ursula’s shoes, [or] if she’s as powerful. She just wants to be accepted by her family, and she wants to be accepted by her peers, and her role was kind of already cut out for her. Ursula is already like, ‘If you don’t follow my footsteps, you’re not going to be good enough period.’ She’s still learning who she is. Even when we do the movie, even when you introduce Uliana, you never even say her name. You say Ursula’s baby sister. It’s like she hasn’t even worked up to you knowing who she is. So, I started studying it. I looked into the frustration of not being heard—of always having to scream louder, of always having to outdo what other people think that you can’t do. Sadly, that does play into taking it out on the wrong people.

JI: We all have been there, honestly. I read in Ebony that you feel like you know the role of Uliana. As a character [she] is misunderstood, and you stepped into the role by knowing that hurt people hurt people. Since you started filming has [there] been a role that has felt very vulnerable?

DR: It’s so interesting because I always tried to include it in little sections of the movie. You definitely [must] pay attention because we still are a kid’s film, and you can’t do too much. [In] one scene specifically, growing up I used to get really bad panic attacks in high school, because I always felt overwhelmed with [having] to get straight A’s to get into college. My mom was a great support system, but certain people at the school that were in charge weren’t really believing in everybody, and I was very much

on that list. While other people at the school were going above and beyond, and I would not be where I am today without those people.

JI: That is amazing.

DR: Oh, my gosh, yes, but at the same time I had this teacher that till this day I can’t stand. He induced one of my first panic attacks. I’m not going to embarrass him, but something happened in the classroom. Luckily, I had great friends in that class that helped me, because I didn’t even know what was going on. I was like, ‘Why can’t I breathe. I don’t understand what this is.’ One of [my] peers was like, ‘I get this all the time. You’re fine, just focus on something.’ And she taught me how to come out of that. For Uliana it’s a scene where she turns into a flamingo, gets pushed into the water, and when she comes up, she has panic attack, because for the first time everybody’s seeing her vulnerable. If you look at my face you can see me start to freak out, look around, and trying to breathe, then I put my self-defense back on, and try to step out of that and be [hardcore] again. If you notice, I hurry up and get out of everybody’s  sight, because I don’t want anybody to see me where I am so perfect.

JI: That’s so powerful that your real-life experiences can pour into the soul of the character that you’re playing on TV. It shows that you’ve had that level of introspection for your character. What drives you to keep your work within that musical entertainment trifecta?

DR: Honestly, I feel like I just got lucky because I audition for everything, and as an actor, I know so many actors agree. You just pray for that job—once you read something and you start to connect with a character [hoping] I get it. Oftentimes you don’t, and it goes to someone with a bigger name, or someone who is more experienced, or who knows? Or they want a brand-new face from the middle of the Midwest, and just starting fresh. You never know. Whatever’s meant [for] you will be for you, and what was ever meant for that other person is for that other person. You’re not going to block somebody else’s blessing.

JI: It’s not a zero-sum effect.

DR: Yes, I never look at it as staying in one specific category. What God has given me is where I’m supposed to be right now. Right now, I’m doing musicals, and I’m like, ‘We’re okay. Cool.’

JI: From your perspective, what can be said about this next generation of Disney royalty?

DR: First of all, the OG’s, are insanely talented. We have to be as good, [and] work harder, because everybody is so used to being the best of the best, the tens and tens, and you’re a new face, and you’re doing a remake. So, it’s like, who are you? Especially for “High School Musical?” They’re like, girl. Who are you? These new [viewers] are protective of that “High School Musical!” They dragged us when we first got announced. I was like, ‘Oh.