Pixar is no stranger to compelling (or sometimes far-fetched) fan theories. Films from the iconic animation studio have long sprouted speculation, whether it’s the all-encompassing Pixar Theory that suggests all movies take place in the same universe or the idea that The Incredibles had different powers when they were young.
Now, Pixar’s latest offering, Inside Out 2 has become the subject of a new fan theory, which floats the idea that its central protagonist Riley is a part of the LGBTQ+ community. The sequel to the 2015 original is set for release in June 2024 and will introduce a new range of emotions battling it out in Riley’s head as she enters teenagehood. So what exactly has led fans down the rabbit hole that Riley is gay, and does the theory have any basis in reality?
Is Riley gay?
There’s been no official confirmation that Riley from the Inside Out franchise is gay. As for what has persuaded fans that she might be, well there are a few clues evident in the first film and in teasers for the sequel. For the latter, fans were quick to notice that in the trailer for Inside Out 2, Riley becomes noticeably skittish when interacting with new character Valentina “Val” Ortiz.
Reacting to Riley’s potential crush on her classmate online, a post on X (formerly known on Twitter) saying that her “new emotion is lesbianism” promptly went viral, generating over four million views. Others were quick to agree with the idea, expressing excitement at a potential storyline in which Riley discovers her sexuality. “She’s got a crush on a hockey player,” one user wrote on X, “every gay girl’s awakening.”
The theory that Riley is part of the queer community can also be traced back to the first installment of Inside Out. Fans suggested that the character might be non-binary or gender fluid, since her emotions are presented as both male and female, while those of her parents are all single-gendered in alignment with masculinity or femininity.
This, coupled with the fact that Inside Out is set in popular gay city San Francisco, is enough to convince some fans that the Pixar film is queer-coded. If confirmed, it would make Inside Out the latest in a string of Pixar films to be connected to the LGBTQ+ community.
Luca was almost immediately read as a gay love story by queer fans upon its release in 2021 (with a story artist for the film even sketching an alternate queer ending), and the character of Priya in Turning Red has long been considered a lesbian among audiences.
There was thought to be a brief appearance of a lesbian couple in Finding Dory, and Lightyear featured Pixar’s first-ever same-sex kiss, promptly generating immense backlash as a result. In any case, we will just have to wait and see how the fan theory about Riley plays out on screens, with Inside Out 2 set to premiere on June 14, 2024.