A gay main character has finally appeared in a Pixar film.
“Out,” a short film released on Disney Plus on Friday, follows a man named Greg who struggles to come out to his mom and dad as he gets ready to move to the city with his boyfriend, Manuel. Greg’s inner turmoil rises as his parents surprise him and come to help him pack. In a magical turn of events, Greg switches bodies with his dog, and as he tries to hide evidence of his relationship, he soon realizes he shouldn’t hide who he truly is from his parents.
The nine-minute short filmed debuted on Disney Plus through its SparkShorts series, in which Pixar creators showcase independent projects. “Out” was directed by Steven Clay Hunter, whose previous Pixar credits include “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E.”
In “Onward,” Pixar’s most release full-length release, Lena Waithe voiced a purple cyclops who mentioned she had a girlfriend. However, the line was brief and the character ultimately played a minor role in the film. “Toy Story 4” and “Finding Dory” also had quick shots of same-sex couples in the backgrounds of the films, which led some Pixar fans to wonder if LGBT characters would ever have more prominent roles.
Disney’s other major properties, “Star Wars” and Marvel, have also had slow progress in representation. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” had the franchise’s first same-sex kiss near the end, albeit in a blink-and-you-miss-it scene in the background. Tessa Thompson’s character Valkyrie was confirmed to be the first LGBT superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and “The Eternals” is set to feature the first openly gay hero.
