Stephanie Beatriz has spoken out about rumours that her Encanto character, Mirabel Madrigal, is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
The star voiced Encanto’s protagonist who, unlike her family, does not have a special gift.
Mirabel has been recognised as one of the main highlights of the movie by critics, with some fans believing that the character’s experiences of otherness could mean be a hint that she is bisexual.
Beatriz, who is bisexual herself, addressed this in a recent interview with Vulture.
“For Mirabel’s journey, I was much more focused on how she felt like an outsider in her family,” she explained. “But I think for Mirabel, the main thing happening is this feeling and desire to be accepted by her family and to be loved for who she is. That is the kind of feeling that can definitely be something that queer kids have, but for Mirabel it was for something different.”
Disney has been facing renewed criticism over the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in its movies.
A leaked letter from employees of the animation studio accused it of censoring same-sex love in Pixar films.
“To this end, it feels terrible to be a part of a company that makes money from Pride merch when it chooses to ‘step back’ in times of our greatest need, when our rights are at risk,” part of it read.
The company also faced fierce backlash for opting to release a blanket statement of support for the LGBTQ+ community instead of condemning Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which seeks to restrict “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in primary schools.
A report from Orlando Sentinel on 25 February also revealed that the company had donated money to every single sponsor and co-sponsor of the proposed legislation, prompting its CEO, Bob Chapek, to express “unwavering commitment to the LGBTQ+ community” on 7 March.
You can watch the trailer for Encanto below or by clicking here.
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