In The Princess and the Frog, the alligator who loves jazz is named Louis.
Louis is a friendly, anthropomorphic alligator whose dream is to play trumpet in a jazz band. Tiana and Prince Naveen meet him after they are transformed into frogs, and Louis joins their journey through the Louisiana bayou to find Mama Odie and break the spell.
The character’s name is a tribute to Louis Armstrong, the legendary New Orleans trumpeter and jazz musician. That connection is reinforced by Louis’s instrument and musical ambitions. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard performed the music for the character, while Michael-Leon Wooley provided his speaking and singing voice.
Louis is sometimes confused with Ray, the Cajun firefly who helps the group navigate the bayou, or Mama Odie, the eccentric voodoo practitioner they seek for advice. The film’s musical identity also draws on New Orleans jazz, blues, gospel, and zydeco.