Disney Pixar’s latest animated series Win or Lose has introduced its first explicitly Christian character in nearly two decades, in a sign the entertainment giant is returning to the family values roots that were the foundations of its incredible success.
Win or Lose is set in the whimsical world of Pixar’s Inside Out films.
It is Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series.
The series follows The Pickles, a middle school softball team, in the week leading up to their championship game.
Each of the series’ eight episodes focuses on the thought lives of a different character, similar to the Inside Out films.
The series’ premiere episode, Coach’s Kid, introduces Laurie, the daughter of the team’s coach, who grapples with insecurity and anxiety.
One of the episode’s first scenes depicts Laurie, who, as she prepares for an upcoming game, bows her head and folds her hands in prayer as she asks God for strength.
“Dear Heavenly Father, please give me strength. I just want to catch a ball or get a hit,” she says.
“I promise I’ll be good, and I, uh, won’t do that thing again.”
Her room features angelic imagery.
In another scene, Laurie prays: “Please help me be good. I’m gonna train so hard.”
She leans on her Christian faith to navigate these challenges.
Premier Christian News (PCN) reports the character appears to depict Christianity in a rare, positive light within Disney media.
It’s the first time since the 2007 film Bridge to Terabithia that a Disney film or series has prominently featured a Christian character.
It’s the first time a Disney character is portrayed offering an explicitly Christian prayer since 1996’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame and its song God Help The Outcasts.
PCN notes the introduction of Laurie comes shortly after Disney removed a transgender storyline from the series.
Some speculate that the decision to highlight a Christian character is a strategic move to broaden the company’s appeal, particularly following a decline in Disney’s recent popularity.
Others note that this shift coincides with the recent election of Donald Trump as US president, which coincides with a shift toward more conservative values
Not all of the content in Coach’s Kid is Biblical: In one scene, Laurie talks to her tarot card-consulting mum, who attempts to read her cards to guess Laurie’s big news.
“Let me guess, you got a home run?” the mother says, turning one of her cards upside down.
Disney’s decision to abandon the storyline focusing on a transgender-identified character came after public outrage over Disney’s advocacy against a Parental Rights in Education bill passed in Florida in 2022.
The measure, which was misrepresented by critics as the so-called Don’t Say Gay bill, prohibited public school teachers and staff from discussing matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity with students in kindergarten through the third grade.
The following year, the Florida Board of Education amended the law to apply to all students through to the 12th grade with exemptions in cases where “such instruction is either expressly required by state academic standards” or “is part of a reproductive health course or health lesson for which a student’s parent has the option to have his or her student not attend.”
Disney expressed vehement opposition to the initial bill, with the company’s then-CEO Bob Chapek vowing to increase “financial support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states.”
In the weeks after Disney first made a commitment to combat the legislation, video recordings surfaced showing employees at the company discussing an effort to incorporate LGBT ideology into children’s programming.
A 2022 poll found that nearly 70% of Americans were less likely to do business with the company because of news reports that “reveal Disney is focusing on creating content to expose young children to sexual ideas.”
Now it appears to be carefully monitoring all its output to ensure it has universal appeal.
In December, it cut “a few lines of dialogue” from an episode that referenced a character’s gender identity.
A spokesperson confirmed the story arc was removed, clarifying in a statement that: “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 entertainment giant also appears keen to win back the support and respect of President Trump and his allies who have often been critical of Disney and what they describe as its “woke” policies.
In a May 2023 social media post, Mr. Trump branded Disney a “woke and disgusting shadow of its former self,” criticising its move toward diverse casting in some of its recent movie remakes.
Newsweek reports Disney’s ABC News agreed to a A$22 million settlement over a defamation lawsuit, marking a significant win for the president.
Image: Disney
