4An innocent video of a Walt Disney World Resort cast member portraying Merida from Pixar’s Brave (2012) stirred controversy online this week. Some rallied behind the performer, while others relentlessly mocked her Scottish accent attempt.
Brave (2012)
More than a decade after its release, Brave inspires viewers to follow their destiny and never forget the importance of family. Its heroine, Merida (Kelly Macdonald), is the first official Disney Princess to originally hail from a Pixar film!
“Merida, an impulsive young lady and daughter to King Fergus and Queen Elinor, is determined to carve her own path in life,” the official Pixar movie description reads.
“Defying the age-old and sacred customs, Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury with the other Scottish Lords, and in the process she stumbles upon an eccentric and wise old woman who grants her ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the true meaning of bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.”
Merida at Walt Disney World Resort
Mirabel from Encanto (2021) recently took over Merida’s former meet & greet at Magic Kingdom Park. But the Disney Princess still welcomes guests in Liberty Square and sometimes roams Fantasyland looking for fellow adventurers.
TikToker @disneyworldglennb met Merida at the Liberty Square gazebo and shared a video of their conversation. X (formerly known as Twitter) user @gwenslucifier shared it soon after, shocked by the Disney character performer’s Scottish accent.
“Hearing disney world meridas accent has fully ruined my whole Sunday,” they wrote. “I can’t stop thinking about this. genuinely flabbergasted. an actual war [crime] against both Scotland and Kelly Mac.”
I can't stop thinking about this. genuinely flabbergasted. an actual war rime against both scotland and kelly mac
— lettie (@gwenslucifer) September 24, 2023
As Merida told the guest about hanging out with her younger brothers, her strong accent dropped slightly – though it probably still convinced any little ones around her. But commenters were ruthless.
“I heard about 4 different accents here 🤣,” @MooGriffiths replied.
I heard about 4 different accents here 🤣
— Mikey (@MooGriffiths) September 25, 2023
“Is…..is she Irish?” @ntyrbbygrl asked.
Is…..is she Irish
— Kat (@ntyrbbygrl) September 24, 2023
@miksstuff shared the video on TikTok, taking a more empathetic stance toward the Walt Disney World Resort actress. She explained that the character performer needed more vocal training – and shouldn’t have been forced to perform that day.
@miksstuff They need to give her some speech training 🥲 I feel so bad #waltdisneyworld #merida #scottish #Scotland #disney #fyp #princess
Commenters rallied behind the Disney Princess.
“It’s very much possible she doesn’t usually play Merida,” @kaleygirly wrote. “It’s definitely a possibility that ‘Merida’ was not there that day so they pulled someone else.”
“I’m [an] actor and legit I hate when my accent starts to break,” said @kataclysmic02.
Have you met a Disney Princess at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort? Share your most memorable experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks Guest experiences. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.