Trans Actress 'Disheartened' After Disney Removed Trans Storyline

Chanel Stewart is speaking out after the storyline for a transgender character was cut in the Win or Lose series. Stewart, a transgender actress, booked the role as the character’s voice before they scrapped the storyline. The 18-year-old actress is now disappointed after learning about Disney’s changes to the character.

“I was very disheartened,” Stewart told Deadline on Dec. 17. “From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”

While they are not getting rid of the character completely, Disney has removed “a few lines of dialogue” and will change how they identify the character.

“It’s just that my character would now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl,” says Stewart. “So yeah, that’s all they really told me and that I was still a part of the show.” 

In a statement, Disney said, “when it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”

Win or Lose tells the story about a co-ed middle school softball team named Pickles during the week leading up to their championship game. 

When Stewart learned that she booked the role, she was over the moon about it.

“Oh my God, it was crazy,” she said. “I wore it as a badge. I wore it with pride. I wore it with honor because it meant so much to me. The thought of authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me.”

The 18-year-old felt so aligned with the character, and she didn’t need to give a second thought about whether she wanted to do it. 

“I was exactly what they wanted to a T, and that’s why it felt so right,” she said. “It felt just so right. I immediately asked my mom if I could do it, because I just felt like if I don’t do this, it wouldn’t make sense. You know what I mean?”

Stewart found it heartbreaking to learn that the beloved role she was initially going to play had now changed.

“Win Or Lose” Source: Pixar

“It was upsetting because my daughter is transgender and this is her life. I felt like it was very important that we not hide that fact,” Stewart’s mother, Keisha, chimed in. 

“There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized. And it felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community, because it’s very hard on transgender teenagers … transgender people, period. Especially when you’re young and you’re trying to figure out how to navigate this world that you live in and be able to grow into your own person.”

But instead of letting the change get her down, Stewart has decided to take the high road. 

“I’m definitely one of the first [transgender girls] to do this! It’s a true honor to be a part of queer history,” she said.

Win or Lose is the first-ever long-form series from Pixar. They expect it to air on Disney+ Feb. 19, 2025.

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