Disney’s ‘The Little Prince(ss)’ Is A Tale For Boys Not ‘Masculine Enough’
Video screenshot via Walt Disney Studios
For its imaginative storytelling and ability to touch hearts, Disney hasn’t always perpetuated the best ideas about diversity and body confidence. That has changed with its streaming service Disney+, which now showcases work by individuals of underrepresented backgrounds, for individuals of underrepresented backgrounds.
So far, Disney has broadened its scope with Pixar short films about sexism in the workplace, the experiences of Asian immigrants, and has featured its first openly gay lead character in a Pixar film.
Disney’s next inclusive tale will arguably resonate with a larger audience—all the boys who were told they weren’t masculine enough for liking things only little girls were allowed to like.
The Little Prince(ss) short film centers around a seven-year-old Chinese kid named Gabriel, who loves ballet and the color pink. Gabriel’s masculinity is questioned by the father of his friend Rob, another Chinese child from school.
The feature was written and directed by Moxie Peng as part of Disney’s Launchpad program, which aims to offer a platform for talents from diverse backgrounds, “including but certainly not limited to women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, various religious groups, military veterans, people with disabilities and others.”
Since the release of the trailer, viewers have expressed their empathy for the boy in the film. “‘What kind of boy does ballet?’ Tom Holland did, and yeah, he’s Spider-Man now,” one YouTube user commented. Another wrote, “Anyone can rock pink; Michael Jackson rocked hard in Billie Jean.”
Watch the preview below. The Little Prince(ss) will start streaming on Disney+ on May 28.
[via Walt Disney Studios]
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