Frozen 2 star Idina Menzel happy to be ‘role model’ for young girls

Frozen 2 star Idina Menzel has said she feels a responsibility to young girls as an idolised princess.

The singer and actress plays the adored character of Elsa, who has been adopted as a “role model” by a generation of youngsters.

Menzel said despite her age, she herself is inspired by the magical Disney creation, who she feels represents an unapologetic embrace of identity.

The 48-year-old said she is very aware of how Elsa is idolised by a multitude of young girls and feels a duty towards the character.

Elsa and Anna, along with companions Kristoff and Olaf, return in the follow-up to the 2013 hit musical.

Speaking on the red carpet at the BFI Southbank in London for the European premiere of the sequel, Menzel said: “I do feel responsibility.

“When you are a quote-unquote ‘role model’, it’s a great responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

“It’s something that I love, though. It’s very reciprocal for me. I feel like I can relate to what they’re feeling.

“But also Elsa and the music that I sing and the story that I communicate is a reminder to me as well, as a woman my age, to really embrace her uniqueness and her strength and her power and not apologise for it.”

The original hit Disney animation was released in 2013, sparking a mania of fandom for the magical franchise.

It also sparked theories that it was a narrative about minority isolation and a fabulist tale of LGBT coming out.

Menzel welcomed what people read into the story, saying: “I think that it just speaks to people.

“We all know that feeling in ourselves of feeling maybe a little different or apologetic of who we are in some way and just wanting to be give the permission to be that part of ourselves that has the potential to be extraordinary.”

The singer appeared on the red carpet at the BFI Southbank along with co-stars Jonathan Groff, voice of Kristoff, and Olaf actor Josh Gad.

Frozen 2 is showing in UK cinemas from November 22.