'Bratz,' the Living Dolls

Skyler is Cinderella, Nathalia is Sleeping Beauty, Janel is Mulan.

"Disney doesn't have any African American princesses," Logan says, "so I get to be Superman."

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Disney has long milked the wild appeal of fictional heroines come to life -- ask any 4-year-old girl what is most exciting about visiting Disney World and it will be: meeting Cinderella or Snow White or Ariel. More recently, the American Girl doll empire has joined in, with live-action shows at its stores and a series of made-for-cable films.

None of the actresses had much of a résumé. Janel started out in musical theater. Logan's background is in dance. Nathalia did two episodes of "Arrested Development." Skyler -- whose godfather, Jon Voight, plays the high school principal in the movie -- had a smattering of small roles and television guest spots. Skyler and Janel live in Los Angeles; Logan is based in Atlanta; Nathalia is in Miami Beach.

"This is a great way to start out," says Logan. "It's really good to start out young and fresh and innocent."

Which is exactly the image Arad and McNamara were shooting for. In the film -- and, as it turns out, in person -- the Bratz appear as the kind of pretty, enthusiastic, doting "big girls" that little girls have always fallen for: the summer counselor whose phone number comes home in the 8-year-old camper's backpack. The teenager who affectionately braids hair and does "makeup" for her younger neighbors. Miss Emily at gymnastics class, with her perfect ponytail and easily given hugs. Any little girl's idealized version of what she'll be like -- and what kind of friends she will have -- once she gets "big."

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After breakfast, the four Bratz pile into an SUV to head to Children's National Medical Center and spend some time signing autographs for the kids there.

In the lobby they are swarmed. They stoop down to eye level to sign postcards featuring their likenesses. There is a visit to a psychiatric inpatient ward and to oncology and hematology. At every spot, they say "Hi" in almost sing-songy unison. Enthusiasm never wavers. In one corridor, they meet 7-year-old Micah. Logan notes that Micah's earrings match her shoes; Janel makes a point of checking out her belt.

"Do you want to be an honorary Brat?" Janel asks her. Micah confides in a shy voice that she has two Sasha dolls and one Yasmin.

"You're now officially an honorary Brat!" Nathalia announces.

All four Bratz beam. And when they emerge from the hospital a few minutes later, they link arms, elbow to elbow, four across, their shiny hair swinging behind them, as they head back to the SUV.