Return to Oz star Emma Ridley says she has been 'kicked out' of Oz convention over political views
'Return to Oz' star Emma Ridley says she has been "kicked out" of a film festival over her political views.

Emma Ridley says she has been "kicked out" of a film convention over her political views.
The 52-year-old actress played Princess Ozma in the 1985 Disney film 'Return to Oz' and was due to make an appearance to celebrate its 40th anniversary at OzCon International in California in June but after organisers announced she would "no longer be appearing", she has insisted that it was down her personal beliefs, and alleged that she was not even informed of the decision before it was made public.
She wrote on Facebook: "So you may have heard or just so you know -I've been kicked out of Ozcon burbank ca in june - Whilst in Mexico for my firstborn's -first wedding in the family, I got messages from fans, saying how sad they were, that I've been kicked out.
"I didn't even know! They didn't manage to connect before they made the announcement and apparently Democrats want everyone to be brought down with them as opposed to Republicans Wanting everyone's light to shine
with a win-win for everyone so that's my definition!
Emma insisted that despite the fact that her character is temporarily portrayed as a boy in L. Frank Baum's original book, her alter-ego was always of a female gender identity in that film adaptation, and claimed that some within the trans community now felt "threatened" by her presence.
She said: "Let me be straight. Ozma starts out as Tip, a boy in the L Frank books, but in the Disney Return to Oz -Ozma is always a girl.
"Apparently, the LBGTQ alphabet soup community are offended by my presence or even more use the words threatened by my presence.
"And when I point out, that Gumps can’t fly in reality and pumpkins don’t have bodies and pumpkin heads cant talk neither can chickens ( love you Billina )."
Oz Convention is the world's longest-running festival dedicated to the fantasy book series, and also explores the history of the Judy Garland film as well as spin-offs such as 'The Wiz' and 'Wicked'.
Emma was left "shocked" by the decision to allegedly remove her from the event, and claimed that she had "planned [her] whole summer" around it.
She said: "If my political views have been confused by their delusion, I’m not sorry.
"I was just quite looking forward to wearing my big beautiful green and pink ball gown and tiaras for a weekend to celebrate Ozma and the 40th reunion of return to Oz but c’est la vie! I’ve been kicked out of better places
"I was in shock at seven in the morning in Mexico when I planned my whole summer around being there for their event and I have much more exciting work to be done on the castle in france so enjoy your return to OZ without YOUR QUEEN
OZMA THE ONLY REAL TRUE RULER OF OZ " (sic)
(and the first real life, Disney princess."
In a further update to her Instagram Stories, Emma shared an email she sent to organisers in which she denied their claims that they had tried to contact her before making the announcement.
She wrote: " I woke up to fans messing me that they are sad I NEVER GOT A MESSAGE FROM YOU FIRST BEFORE YOU
POSTED THAT I WASNT COMING!. You say I saw a message and did not respond- can I see a
screenshot of that message please as I never received it!"
In 'Return to Oz' - which acted as an unofficial sequel to the 1939 classic 'The Wizard of Oz' - Emma starred as the princess and rightful ruler of the now-destroyed magical land who had been enchanted into a mirror by Mombi (Jean Marsh) until Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) was able to save the day with the power of her ruby slippers.
Following her initial brush with fame, Emma became something of a tabloid personality and flew to Vegas at the age of 15 to marry nightclub owner Robert Pereno.
In 1997, she married music producer Philip Ehrlich and had son Otis with him, but they split after a year, and she went on to marry David Tyler in 2004 and have son Elim with him as well as daughter Isis.
They divorced in 2009 and Emma, after finding a new career as a fitness instructor, got married for a fourth time but later claimed she had been "ate up and spat out" by the world of celebrity.
In 2018, she reflected: "Celebrity ate me up and spat me out.
"There were more low points than you can imagine.
"I see kids today obsessing about fame and wonder if they truly understand the price you pay to live in such a vacuous world where everything is fake, from the friends who pretend to like you to the fake smile you plaster on every time you go out."