Trans Voice Actor Speaks Out After Disney Cuts Trans Storyline From New Pixar Animated Series

In an interview with Deadline, actor Chanel Stewart said she's "disheartened" by Disney's decision to edit out her trans character's storyline in Pixar's upcoming show Win or Lose.

The original animated series from Disney-owned Pixar follows a co-ed middle school softball team, the Pickles, as they approach their championship game. Each of the eight episodes, set to debut on Disney+ on February 19, will highlight a different member of the team.

Although the storyline involving gender identity has been removed, the character will still appear in the series, according to a source familiar with the matter. This decision to omit the plot point was made a few months ago. However, the change is not as straightforward as removing lines from the script, as the character's dialogue has already been recorded.

Disney issued the following statement:

“When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline."

The removed scene is below.

But the news was a blow to Stewart, who, in 2020, was scrolling through X when she came across a post about Pixar seeking an authentic, 14-year-old transgender girl to voice a transgender teenager in an upcoming animated series.

Stewart, now 18, recalled her decision to pursue the part and her glee once she learned she'd won it:

“I was exactly what they wanted to a T, and that’s why it felt so right. It felt just so right. I immediately asked my mom if I could do it, because I just felt like if I don’t do this, it wouldn’t make sense. You know what I mean?” ...

“Oh my God, it was crazy. I wore it as a badge. I wore it with pride. I wore it with honor because it meant so much to me. The thought of authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me.”

She's also processing her disappointment, saying she is "disheartened" by the decision:

“I was very disheartened. From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”

“It’s just that my character would now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl. So yeah, that’s all they really told me and that I was still a part of the show.”

But Stewart did acknowledge that her involvement in the series is still historic:

I’m definitely one of the first [transgender girls] to do this! It’s a true honor to be a part of queer history.”

Nonetheless, Disney's decision to cut the storyline has been met with criticism.

What we know about the character change is thus far limited, and Stewart was not at liberty to share details with Deadline about her character, but was told by Disney that she’s “still a part of the show heavily.”

The announcement follows President-elect Donald Trump's election victory; Trump has strongly criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which have become a point of contention for the right. In response to online pressure and threats, many companies have recently altered their DEI policies.

Asked whether Disney's removal of the transgender storyline from Win or Lose was an attempt to distance the company from diversity initiatives in light of a potential second Trump administration, a company spokesperson chose not to comment.

You can watch the trailer for the show, which debuts on Disney+ February 19, below.

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