Disney’s first Pixar TV series includes a rare Christian character

Win Or Lose, Pixar’s first original TV series, hit Disney+ last month.

The show follows a co-ed middle school softball team preparing for its championship game, and focuses on a different character each episode – from a lovesick umpire to helicopter parents to braces-wearing-and-hormone-filled pre-teens.

One such character has drawn specific attention: Win Or Lose’s first episode introduces Laurie, a middle schooler with anxiety and an outwardly strong Christian faith. In one of her first scenes, Laurie begins with a prayer asking her Heavenly Father to give her help and strength before her turn at bat.

• Laurie marks Disney’s first openly Christian character since the 2007 film Bridge to Terabithia.
• While the presence of a Christian character isn’t necessarily head-turning news, it’s drawn backlash from some critics following Disney’s decision to cut a transgender storyline from the same show.

🏢 Zoom out: Disney last month announced plans to pull back its DEI practices and focus more closely on business goals, echoing similar moves seen across the US business landscape following President Trump’s election victory.