Once Upon a Time entered a whole new era in Season 7 due to the departures of almost the entire cast in favor of a bunch of brand new characters. One of those characters was none other than Tiana, who Disney fans recognize as the leading lady from 2009's animated feature The Princess and the Frog. The inclusion of Tiana led many fans to figure that her prince would debut at some point in Season 7, and we now know when he's coming and who will tackle the role. Jeff Pierre of Beyond fame will play Prince Naveen on Once Upon a Time.
Jeff Pierre will make his debut as Prince Naveen in the twelfth episode of Season 7, which will be called "A Taste of the Heights." Unfortunately, fans have a bit of a wait on their hands, as that episode won't air until Friday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The good news is that Naveen will be a recurring role for Pierre, so he won't just be a one-off guest star.
By this point in the run of the series, Once Upon a Time is somewhat infamous for putting major twists on characters that viewers thought they already knew. Back before the show premiered, who would have guessed that Snow White was an outlaw archer who met her Prince Charming after she robbed him? We can't say at this point just how similar (or different) the show's Naveen will be from the Princess and the Frog's Naveen. The show version will be a freewheeling adventurer whose love for fun eclipses any caution about the dangers around him... or so it seems. TVLine reports that Naveen's easygoing appearance conceals a man who struggles with a past filled with tragedy. He intends to make up for the wrongs in his past, although he may have to give up some of what he holds dearest in order to do so.
On the one hand, that description does somewhat fit the character from The Princess and the Frog, who lived an extravagant life of wasting money... until his parents cut him off and he goes on a froggy journey of self-discovery. The Naveen of Once Upon a Time seems to have a darker past than the animated incarnation of the character, and the danger may be a lot more real. We'll have to wait and see.
Jeff Pierre is best known for his roll as Jeff in Freeform's Beyond, which delivered something brand new for that network. He also appeared in ten episodes of Shameless back in 2016. It should be interesting to see how he fits into the ensemble of Once Upon a Time in Season 7 and whether or not he sticks around in the long run.
The next new episode of Once Upon a Time will air on Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. For your other viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to take a look at our midseason TV premiere guide and our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule.
