| Raya | |
|---|---|
| Raya and the Last Dragon character | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Raya_(character).png) Raya as she appears in Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). | |
| First appearance | Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) |
| Created by | Adele Lim Qui Nguyen |
| Voiced by | Kelly Marie Tran |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Princess of Heart |
| Occupation | Guardian of the Dragon Gem |
| Affiliation | Disney Princesses |
| Weapon | Fantasy whip sword |
| Family | Chief Benja (father) |
| Origin | Kumandra |
| Pet | Tuk Tuk (pill bug, armadillo and pug hybrid) |
Raya is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Created by screenwriters Adele Lim and Qui Nguyen, Raya is the thirteenth official member of the Disney Princess line-up and Disney's first Southeast Asian princess. She is voiced by American actress Kelly Marie Tran. Cassie Steele was initially cast in the role until the character underwent changes and the filmmakers decided to find a different type of performer for Raya and replaced her with Tran.
The daughter of the chief of the Heart tribe, one of five warring tribes of the fictional land of Kumandra, Raya is a warrior princess who is appointed the guardian of the Dragon Gem. When the gem is shattered, plague monsters known as the Druun are released and turn the people of Kumandra, including Raya's father, to stone. With only her pet Tuk Tuk, a pill bug, armadillo and pug hybrid as a companion, she travels across Kumandra to find the last remaining dragon, Sisu, and retrieve the gem pieces to vanquish the Druun. Her rivalry with Namaari, the princess of the Fang tribe, is central to the film's themes of trust and unity.
Raya has received a positive critical response for her characterisation as a strong, independent female protagonist and an unconventional Disney Princess. Tran also received praise for voicing the character and was nominated for several film awards.