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In the recent past, Disney has been working on upping their representation game. While the Walt Disney Company has always spoken about making sure their audience sees themselves on the screen, in February 2022, during the start of the Disney vs. DeSantis feud, much information came to light that put the Mouse House in hot water, wherein the HRC (Human Rights Commission) refused Disney’s $5 million donation saying the company needed to “build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates” to combat bills like Don’t Say Gay (officially called the Parental Rights in Education.
“Partners” statue in front of Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort / Credit: Disney
While Disney has certainly taken a stance against the Florida bill and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the company has also been working on the representation aspect of its movies and shows on the big screen. Whether it was by casting Black actress Halle Bailey as Princess Ariel in the recent live-action remake of The Little Mermaid or with the same-sex relationship representation Disney saw in Lightyear, the company has been steadily working to find its footing.
A still from The Little Mermaid featuring Halle Bailey (Princess Ariel) and Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric)/ Credit: Disney
In that vein, and another win for the LGBTQ+ community when it comes to Disney, Pixar Animation Studios has its first-ever non-binary character in Disney’s recent release, Elemental.
Lake Ripple, voiced by actor Ava Hauser, is Wade Ripple’s—the film’s secondary protagonist—sibling and has been confirmed to be non-binary in Elemental’s junior novelization and Unlikely Friends tie-in book. Lake Ripple is both non-binary and has a girlfriend, per these sources.
Lake Ripple (Kai Ava Hauser), Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis), Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) from “Elemental” (2023)/Credit: Disney/Pixar
More on Elemental
Elemental is a noteworthy film from Disney/Pixar as the first non-franchise original from the studio to be released in theatres rather than as a straight-to-Disney+ (Disney Plus) release. While the movie is struggling at the box office, with lower numbers than one might have hoped, it has received mixed reviews from audiences. Elemental explores the themes of connection, celebrating differences, and finding one’s place in the world.
