Disney’s Pixar recently released a new SparkShort on May 22, a film titled, Out. The short features the first gay protagonist in Pixar history.
“Just look them in the eyes and say, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m—this is my boyfriend, Manuel,’” Greg says, holding a framed photo of himself with his boyfriend, Manuel.
That’s an unforgettable scene from Out. The film will follow a gay character by the name of Greg as he works up the courage to tell his parents about his sexuality and dating another man. As many know, coming out to family can be incredibly terrifying, and this film is geared to children in the queer community who don’t know what to do in this scenario. In the film, Greg switches bodies with his magical pet and gets to hear what his family really thinks about his love interest.
On Twitter, Disney+ features a clip of Greg in his bedroom, practicing how he’ll tell his parents that he’s gay. His dog, Jim, is also seen rushing around the house hiding evidence of Greg’s same-gender relationship.
The film, geared toward children, was directed by Steven Clay Hunter (Wall-e, Toy Story 2). Max Sachar, the film’s producer, is known for his work on Coco and Incredibles 2.
“Out, a nine-minute, animated film, is one of seven from Pixar’s SparkShorts program which seeks “to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows,” said Jim Morris, the president of Pixar, said on the studio’s website.
The styling of Out seems magical, coming straight out of a storybook, and what better time for an openly gay protagonist than days before the beginning of Pride Month.
While this isn’t the first instance of an LGBTQ character in Disney media, it would be the first time a gay person was the protagonist of an animated, Disney film. This follows an upward trend of more queer representation in Disney media.
When Disney Pixar’s Onward released this past March, it featured Pixar’s first openly gay character with cyclops policeman Officer Spector, played by actress Lena Waithe. Waithe’s character mentions her girlfriend and girlfriend’s daughter in one scene, and while the police officer was only a minor character in the movie, it was an important moment in defining the first openly gay character in a Disney movie.
Whether the films are for children or adults, representation is incredibly important. To see someone who can represent minorities on a big screen is a defining moment for many, and Out does an incredible job at opening up this opportunity in Disney.
