Mekia Cox's Princess Tiana will not be lonely anymore as "Once Upon a Time" has finally found her Frog Prince.
According to Deadline, Jeff Pierre, who stars in Freeform's "Beyond," has been officially cast as Prince Naveen on the show. The actor is set to recur as the character from "The Princess and the Frog" in "Once Upon a Time" season 7, debuting in the March 9 episode titled "A Taste of Heights."
Pierre's take on Naveen is described as a "fun-loving, freewheeling adventurer" whose love for fun eclipses any caution about the dangers around the world or so it seems. However, behind that easygoing appearance is a man who struggles with a tragic past – "one that he is determined to make amends for, even if it means sacrificing everything he loves in the process...."
In comparison, the Naveen in "Princess of the Frog" is a freeloader, who has spent all his life being waited on, never learning to do a thing for himself. That is until his parents disinherit him from the royal family and he goes on a froggy journey of self-discovery. It looks like "Once Upon a Time" will give its Naveen a darker past than the animated counterpart and the danger threatening his life may be a lot more real. Fans can only confirm when the character debuts on the show.
Cox has already teased her love interest's arrival previously. Speaking to TV Guide at the recent Television Critics Association press tour, she said: "Episode 12 will be another big Tiana episode." Apart from seeing the return of some old characters like Dr. Facilier (Daniel Francis), fans will also get to see "a new character, that might be a little love interest for Tiana. And he might be a familiar face from the 'Princess and the Frog' movie."
"Once Upon a Time" resumes its season 7 on Friday, March 2, at 8 pm ET on ABC.
