Pixar’s ‘Out’ brings tears, cheers for studio’s first gay lead character

Pixar’s new film Out — which features the first gay lead character for the company — is melting hearts on Disney+.

Pixar Animation Studios’ short animated film Out — which features the first gay lead character for the company — is melting hearts on the Disney+ channel.

The 9-minute mini movie mixes fantasy, drama and comedy to tell the story of Greg, who is moving in with his boyfriend, Manuel. But there’s a catch: Greg isn’t “out” to his parents and is shocked when they drop by for an unannounced visit, house-warming casserole in hand.

Pixar has released a short movie with a gay lead character.

The tale takes a Freaky Friday turn when a despondent Greg winds up in a metaphysical body-swap with his pooch and discovers his fear of coming out may be moot.

Fans flocked to social media to celebrate the inclusion, a significant move in light of Disney’s spotty track record, as documented by GLAAD.

“Finally!!! LGBT People also exist in the Disney / Pixar universe!! Thank you!!” said one Twitter supporter in summing up the move.

I just watched a gay couple in a @Pixar short.
I just watched a gay kiss in a Pixar short.
I just watched a family love their gay son in a Pixar short.
I just watched myself be represented in a Pixar short.

Please watch 'OUT' on @disneyplus pic.twitter.com/aNMguLxWiG

— AJ Adams (@itsajadams) May 22, 2020

Others applauded the sweet story by calling it everything from “heartfelt and cute” to “adorable”.

One viewer summed it up as a “fantastical glimpse into how wrong it feels keeping your true self bottled up inside,” with numerous tweeters acknowledging its relatable content for LGBTQ people.

"Out," the new Pixar SparkShort, is a fantastical glimpse into how wrong it feels keeping your true self bottled up inside. Highly recommend checking it out on Disney Plus! pic.twitter.com/J0aJV80qQb

— Brian Koch (@Thisisntflying) May 22, 2020

“I only cried a lot,” said one commenter about the emotional journey, while another simply wrote, “This is gay and I love it”.

The video, billed as “based on a true story,” is directed and written by Pixar vet Steven Clay Hunter and is part of Pixar’s SparkShorts film series, which kicked off last year.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission