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Sinead Butler
Jun 19, 2023
Fire meets water in steamy Pixar rom-com Elemental
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Disney's Pixar has revealed its first-ever non-binary character who features in the studio's latest film Elemental.
Set in a city where water, fire, air and land residents live, the moving story is all about "a fiery young woman," called Ember and a "go-with-the-flow guy" called Wade who discover "something elemental: how much they actually have in common", according to the film synopsis.
Wade's younger sibling, Lake Ripple is a non-binary character who uses they/them pronouns and is also voiced by non-binary voice actor Ava Hauser.
Sharing the news on Twitter on Friday (June 16), Hauser posted: "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT I got to play Pixar's first non-binary character. Meet Lake!
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"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."
\u201cBIG ANNOUNCEMENT I got to play Pixar's first nonbinary character! Meet Lake!\nI 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. \ud83d\udc99\u201d— \ud83d\udef8 Kai Ava Hauser \ud83d\udef8 (@\ud83d\udef8 Kai Ava Hauser \ud83d\udef8) 1686944592
People also shared some love for this news and for the character Lake.
\u201cits the subtlety of how Lake is introduced to Ember that makes my heart sing. We dont need to treat lgbtq+ characters any different from straight characters. Pixar knows true allyship \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83d\udc9a\u201d— Pixar's Chonky-Cute Era Supremacy\ud83d\ude0a (@Pixar's Chonky-Cute Era Supremacy\ud83d\ude0a) 1687034689
\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of discourse about this online, but regardless, I think it\u2019s important to acknowledge this was a choice. An active choice to include a vocally NB character in a mainstream film. It\u2019s a small step, but it\u2019s good for us.\u201d— Benjamin Maio Mackay (@Benjamin Maio Mackay) 1687138703
\u201cOkay but Lake sounds like a really sweet name and I\u2019m already in love with them \ud83e\udd7a\ud83d\udc96 The film isn\u2019t even out yet but I\u2019d watch it just to see them \ud83e\udd70\u201d— Gay Serpent \ud83d\udc0d\ud83d\udc96 @ Hassel lover \ud83c\udf4a\ud83c\udf4e(Comms WIP!) (@Gay Serpent \ud83d\udc0d\ud83d\udc96 @ Hassel lover \ud83c\udf4a\ud83c\udf4e(Comms WIP!)) 1687092568
While others noted other Pixar characters in the past who have not exactly followed the gender binary, namely Francis from A Bug's Life.
\u201cLake will never represent me as much as Francis did\u201d— \ud80c\udc80 \u2728\ud83e\uded2 Mediterranean/Byzantine Menace \ud83c\udf55\u270d\ud83c\udffc\u2728 \ud80c\udc80 (@\ud80c\udc80 \u2728\ud83e\uded2 Mediterranean/Byzantine Menace \ud83c\udf55\u270d\ud83c\udffc\u2728 \ud80c\udc80) 1687123417
\u201cfirst? what the hell were they?\u201d— melia (@melia) 1687036653
\u201cso we just gonna pretend like Francis never existed?\u201d— Liam (@Liam) 1687098771
\u201cFirst non-binary character??\n\nWe're just gonna ignore these icons???\u201d— Leah Sadoian \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (she/her) (@Leah Sadoian \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (she/her)) 1687145743
Elemental made around $30 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices over the weekend, with Reutersreporting that this is the second-lowest debut in Pixar's history. Elemental will be released in UK cinemas on July 7.
Elsewhere, here is every basic LGBT+ term to learn in honour of pride month and five famous faces who were raised by LGBT+ families.
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