The move, alluded to on a recent episode of the behind-the-scenes Disney+ series Inside Pixar, comes as the studio seeks to address gender imbalance in its film output.
Episode four of Inside Pixar focuses on Pixar Animation Studios’ script supervisor Jessica Heidt, who has been working to increase the number of female characters on-screen.
Heidt, who has previously spoken about the difficulties non-binary people face in finding representation on-screen, mentioned that forthcoming Pixar films would include “characters of all genders” – which many have interpreted as a promise to include characters who fall outside the gender binary.
Some Disney and Pixar fans have expressed excitement at the idea, posting their reactions on social media.
“Watching the inside Pixar docuseries and fully bursting into tears as someone acknowledges non-binary people,” wrote one commenter.
“I don’t find Jessica Heidt on Twitter to thank directly, but I must say it’s wonderful that she has inspired such progress in changing Pixar’s approach to gender representation on screen,” wrote someone else. “May her work spread everywhere! #InsidePixar”
Disney was also recently praised for a tear-jerking Christmas advert, which focuses on an inter-generational Filipino family.
Several Filipino viewers wrote that they were moved to tears by the advert, with some claiming that it was an important piece of cultural representation.
