Disney Pixar Introduces First Non-Binary Character in Latest Film ‘Elemental’

Movie Nonbinary

2023-06-19
13:36

In a historic first, Disney Pixar introduced a non-binary character, Lake Ripple, in its most recent film release, ‘Elemental’.

‘Elemental’ tells the story of Element City, where fire, water, land, and air residents live together. It revolves around Ember, a tough, quick-witted, and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.

Although not a major character, the non-binary character, Lake Ripple, is Wade’s youngest sibling. They will also have a romantic interest. This was confirmed by the junior novelization for ‘Elemental’ and the tie-in book titled ‘Unlikely Friends’.

Lake Ripple is voiced by Ava Hauser. Hauser posted on Twitter excitedly announcing their role in the movie: “I got to play Pixar’s first nonbinary character! Meet Lake!”

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT I got to play Pixar’s first nonbinary character! Meet Lake!
I voice Lake in the new movie #Elemental! I’m seeing it in theaters tonight with my friends, so you can catch it in theaters too if you wanna see them. 💙 pic.twitter.com/6kBPGvCATE

— 🛸 Kai Ava Hauser 🛸 (@JustAVoiceActor) June 16, 2023

‘Elemental’ is directed by Peter Sohn, and it stars Mamadou Athie as Wade and Leah Lewis as Ember. It draws on themes of xenophobia, migration, and love transcending differences.

‘Elemental’ is also the first movie from the studio to be released straight to theaters instead of Disney+ since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there is still a shortage of non-binary representation in popular media, this is a great step for Disney which has done major steps to improve the diverse representation in its release roster. The 2022 sci-fi film ‘Lightyear’, showed a same-sex kiss between Kiko and Hawthorne, and in 2020, it also released its first-ever Black protagonist in ‘Soul’.

‘Elemental’ is now playing in movie theaters.

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