Ex-Pixar Staffers Decry ‘Win or Lose’ Trans Storyline Being Scrapped: “Can’t Tell You How Much I Cried”

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As a queer artist who has worked in the animation industry for many years, I find the recent developments at Pixar deeply disheartening. It feels like we are taking a step back instead of moving forward in terms of representation and inclusion.

Some of the creative minds behind the transgender narrative development for the Pixar series “Win or Lose” are expressing their sadness following the recent announcement by The Hollywood Reporter that the main character will instead be played as a cisgender individual.

Sarah Ligatich, a former assistant editor at Pixar who offered insights for the episode, shares with THR that while it didn’t shock her, it deeply saddened her. ‘For quite some time,’ she explains, ‘Disney hasn’t been focusing on creating exceptional content; instead, their goal has been generating substantial profits. As early as two years ago when I was still at Pixar, we had a gathering with [then-CEO] Bob Chapek, and they made it clear to us that they view animation as a safe medium.’

According to THR’s report, the upcoming series “Win or Lose,” featuring Will Forte as coach of a middle school co-ed softball team called the Pickles, is avoiding a storyline about a character named Kai who identifies as transgender. Disney, which owns the renowned animation studio since 2006, explained in a statement that many parents prefer to discuss such topics with their children at their own pace and convenience.

Former employees of Pixar shared their sadness and disappointment upon learning that a certain storyline had been cut from the company’s productions. One individual pointed out the irony in Disney’s statement, considering that Disney’s animated films often tackle mature themes such as parental death (as seen in Bambi and The Lion King) or substance use (in Alice in Wonderland and Pinocchio). The most aggravating aspect was that the affected episode had already been finished, which means that altering story elements would require the team to work frantically to meet the February release date, and not only that, but it would also incur additional costs.

A former Pixar worker, who was not directly involved in the production but watched it and requested anonymity, praises the final version of the episode as breathtakingly beautiful and insightful about trans experiences. They believe that by airing this episode, Disney could potentially save lives by reaching out to those feeling isolated and unwanted, demonstrating that there are people who empathize with their struggles.

Recently, Pixar’s decisions have sparked discussions about their future plans and focus on diversity. Following the dismissal of 14% of its workforce in May, Pete Docter, who took over as chief creative officer from John Lasseter in 2018 after directing ‘Inside Out’, raised some eyebrows with his remarks about Pixar’s new objectives. With a few titles falling short of expectations in recent years, Docter suggested that the studio should create films that resonate most strongly, which was interpreted by some as a potential change in direction away from more personal stories centered around characters and voices underrepresented in media.

The comments emerged after Chapek’s handling of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022 faced criticism, which was followed by an uproar from right-wing commentators over a same-sex kiss scene in the 2022 Toy Story spinoff film Lightyear. More recently, team members of Disney Channel’s animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur made headlines by sharing on social media that the company had chosen not to air an episode focusing on a regular transgender character.

A former Pixar employee, who is transgender, comments on the decision regarding “Win or Lose” as being entirely political. He points out that ABC News recently settled a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump for $15 million: “Disney had a settlement with Trump just recently. The recent editing of the ‘Devil Dinosaur and Moon Girl‘ episode was also a reminder to all of us who were aware of ‘Win or Lose‘ and this character, that we were all bracing ourselves: ‘Please don’t target us next.’

It’s understandable that people linked with Pixar are concerned because the shift in the movie “Win or Lose” doesn’t seem to be an isolated incident regarding projects diluting their original messages. In April, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that while it’s important for films and shows to be entertaining, they shouldn’t prioritize messaging over everything else. Instead, where Disney can make a positive global impact – such as promoting acceptance and understanding among diverse groups – is what they should focus on.

As a previous Pixar artist explained, the creators behind the 2026 film “Hoppers,” featuring Jon Hamm and a beaver switching bodies, originally intended to convey a strong message about environmentalism. However, due to certain circumstances, they found it necessary to tone down this theme. The artist, who was not directly involved in the project, stated, “Regrettably, when your entire story revolves around the significance of environmentalism, you can’t simply abandon that focus.” The team behind the film faced challenges in trying to understand and address the feedback they received regarding this aspect of their work.

A captivating title within our organization was the upcoming original movie titled “Elio“, focusing on a boy’s extraordinary adventure with extraterrestrials. Originally scheduled for a March release, it has been delayed until summer 2025. The initial director of “Elio“, Adrian Molina, who is openly gay, parted ways from the film earlier this year. However, Docter confirmed that Molina, who will retain his directing credit, has shifted to another Pixar project instead.

Over the summer, I was thrilled when Pixar dropped the sequel to “Inside Out” in June. It went on to be the top-earning movie of the year.

Ligatich, who identifies as transgender, fondly remembers being accepted and appreciated during her 2.5-year stint at Pixar before getting let go in May. Since Disney’s move to remove the storyline featuring teen trans actress Chanel Stewart from the show “Win or Lose,” Ligatich has been in touch with various members of its creative team, including executive producer David Lally. Additionally, Ligatich shares her disappointment that the show has already been finished for quite a while but has faced delays in its release date, which was initially planned for a year ago.

Ligatich expresses that he wept profoundly the day prior, reflecting on the tough discussion David had with Chanel. He explains that it’s not just about asking someone to step into a role they aren’t accustomed to, but also to grasp a political discourse that is way beyond their understanding. Ligatich points out that this story was ready for release two years ago, during a potential Biden presidency, but they decided against it,” he says. (Stewart herself has admitted that she was deeply disappointed about the transformation of her character.)

According to Ligatich, there are artists who have expressed reluctance about contributing to the “Win or Lose” episode, even though it was made clear to the staff that they could opt out of working on this specific episode. However, no one has chosen to take the company up on this offer yet.

It’s unclear if other animation studios will imitate Pixar’s possible approach towards restricting queer narratives and other forms of diverse or potentially controversial storytelling. As a result, one former Pixar employee is actively trying to establish an independent animation studio that promotes underrepresented perspectives.

Ligatich thinks that engaging animated tales could find an audience on platforms like Netflix, even though it might not primarily produce LGBTQ-themed content; however, it has made significant purchases in this area.

Netflix enthusiastically welcomes content that authentically portrays LGBTQ narratives, as Ligatich notes about the streaming platform that won the animation feature Oscar this year for its purchased title “Nimona“. Previously, this film, hailed as a trans metaphor, was left homeless when the Blue Sky Studios, acquired by Disney in 2021, was shut down. “In the future, we can expect to see numerous independent studios emerging to tell stories,” Ligatich adds.

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2024-12-28 00:25