IN SHORT
- Delanie Jayne fell in love with Disney when she first visited Disneyland aged 11.
- From then on, she set her heart on becoming a Disney Princess when she grew up.
- A near-fatal car crash inspired her to follow her dreams.
- But when she met a handsome stranger at a Halloween party, she worried her unusual career might scare him off.
- Delanie Jayne, 27, from Adelade SA, shares her story below…
Looking up at the enormous castle, I was enchanted.
At 11, I was visiting Disneyland with my family.
From then on, I was obsessed with Disney.
As a teenager, I’d watch every new Disney movie and learn all the songs.
Whenever someone asked what I wanted to be after school, I’d smile and say, “A Disney princess.”
In 2019, I enrolled in uni to study acting.
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“You’re great, Delanie,” my lecturer told me. “But you need a social media presence. Auditions alone won’t cut it anymore.”
I knew she was right, but I was worried people might make fun of me.
Then, in 2020, I pulled up in my driveway.
Get out now! a voice inside me screamed.
Seconds later, a driver lost control and smashed straight into my car, crushing the driver’s side.
“If you were still in there, you’d be gone,” a police officer told me afterwards.
Breaking down in tears, I decided life was too short not to live it fully.
At 23, I began posting Disney-themed videos on my TikTok and Instagram, @delaniejayne.
In one, I emulated Mickey Mouse in red shorts and the signature ears. Within six days, it had a million views.
That was amazing! one fan wrote.
Disney adults scare me, another said.
Soon, I was posting regularly, recreating iconic movie scenes and singing Disney show tunes.
Before I knew it, I was earning a living with it.
At a Halloween party in 2022, I was dressed as the fairy godmother from Shrek when a cute guy dressed as Spider-Man smiled at me.
“I’m Lorenzo,” he said. “I love your costume.”
“I love yours,” I grinned.
To my delight, he was also a fan of Disney, but I didn’t tell him about my TikTok, in case it scared him off.
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That night, he asked me out on a date, and I couldn’t resist.
A few weeks later, over hot chocolates at a cafe, the waitress gasped.
“You’re Delanie! I love your TikToks!” she squealed. “Can I get a picture with you?”
I went bright red as Lorenzo looked on.
Later, bracing for judgment, I showed him my Disney videos and explained how they’d become my career.
“That’s incredible,” he said, smiling. “If anyone ever asks for a photo again, I’ll take it.”
I knew then that I’d found my prince.
Now, I have over 165,000 followers, and Lorenzo is my biggest supporter.
This year, we moved in together. Most nights, we cook dinner and curl up to watch a Disney movie.
Being unapologetically me has brought me more love and happiness than I could have imagined.
I truly feel like a Disney princess.
