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Just before the holidays, news broke that Disney would be scrapping a storyline for a transgender character in the Pixar series. Win or lose. At the time, Disney said the removal would allow parents to “discuss certain topics with their children on their own terms and schedule,” prompting much discussion online. the second performance with a trans-focused storyline to get the ax recently.
Win or loseHits Disney+ in February, centers on a co-ed softball team; one episode would be devoted to a character named Kai, who remained in the episode, but without any reference to his gender.
Now, former creatives at Pixar have shared their feelings on the subject The Hollywood Reporter. Sarah Ligatich, a former Pixar assistant editor and consultant on the episode, said the removal would cause problems because the show as a whole had been completed for “quite a while” despite being repeatedly pushed back from its planned release in 2023. The cut of Kay’s storyline didn’t come as much of a surprise to Ligatic, but he still felt “destroyed”: “Disney hasn’t been in the business of making great content,” he said. “They have engaged in business to make huge profits. As recently as two years ago, when I was at Pixar, we had a meeting with (then-CEO) Bob Chapek, and they were very clear with us that they saw animation as a conservative medium.”
This sentiment was shared by fellow former Pixar employees who spoke at the event. Some have found it ironic that Disney has no problem cutting the story of a trans character, but has given the media a pass on (and dealing with) heavier topics for years. proceeds from) death of a loved one. Others acknowledged how several story elements needed to be adjusted at the beginning of the already finished episode. Win or lose mid-February release. One anonymous ex-employee called it “very frustrating that Disney decided to spend money on not saving lives” and explained that the episode “was so beautiful and beautifully portrayed the experiences of being trans — and it literally would have saved her life. She felt lonely.” and by showing it to the unloved, it shows that there are people out there who understand.”
A recent history of Disney throwing queer people under the bus (up to it doesn’t), and with Pixar projects in particular, it has been previously documented. But the looming second term of Donald Trump worries Pixar employees Win or lose will be just one of several projects that will intercept specific messages or views. Speaking to THR, a former Pixar artist claimed the studio’s 2026 film Hoppers should reduce any message about the environment. The movie centers around a girl getting her brain replaced by a beaver, and as the artist notes, “when your whole movie is about the importance of protecting the environment, you can’t really go back on that. This team ‘What do we do with this record?’ struggled to understand.
For Ligatich, Disney manages Win or lose it’s also a reminder for queer creatives and audiences that they may have to look elsewhere to find stories that reflect themselves. He chose Netflix revived and released last year’s queer-centric film Nimona formerly after Disney brokeand said the broadcaster is “thrilled to host content that tells authentic LGBTQ stories. That’s really going to be the way forward, you’re going to see a lot of indie studios opening up to tell stories.
Win or lose Premieres February 19, 2025 on Disney+.
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