'Breakthrough moment': Lena Waithe to voice LGBTIQ+ cyclops in new Pixar film

“It’s a modern fantasy world and we want to represent the modern world.”

Onward

Pixar's new film 'Onward' to feature a cyclops cop in a same-sex relationship, played by Lena Waithe. Source: Pixar, Getty

Pixar's new animated feature film Onward is set to feature a "breakthrough moment" for onscreen LGBTIQ+ representation, with Lena Waithe slated to voice a cyclops police officer who is in a same-sex relationship.

reports that the character, named Specter, confirms her sexuality with a line of casual dialogue in the film.

“My girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out," the one-eyed officer explains to a driver she's pulled over.

While the character is , LGBTIQ+ organisation GLAAD celebrated the character as a sign of progress.

"This will be a breakthrough moment in representation when it premieres, and we hope to see more inclusion in animated films," the group tweeted.
“It just kind of happened,” Onward producer Kori Rae explained to .

Director Dan Scanlon added: “The scene, when we wrote it, was kind of fitting and it opens up the world a little bit, and that’s what we wanted.

“It’s a modern fantasy world and we want to represent the modern world.”

The movie follows the story of a group of elven brothers who attempt to bring their father back from the dead with a resurrection spell, only for everything to go awry. The film also stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Ali Wong, and Mel Rodriguez.

You can watch the trailer for Onward below:

Share
Published 24 February 2020 1:37pm
By Samuel Leighton-Dore


Share this with family and friends


SBS News in your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS On Demand
SBS News
SBS Audio

Listen to our podcasts
Join host Yumi Stynes for Seen, a new SBS podcast about cultural creatives who have risen to excellence despite a role-model vacuum.
The day's top stories from SBS News.
Ease into the English language and Australian culture. We make learning English convenient, fun and practical.
Get the latest with our sbs podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch SBS On Demand
Over 11,000 hours

Over 11,000 hours

News, drama, documentaries, SBS Originals and more - free.