While Pixar’s sequel, Inside Out 2, is set to release on June 14, the trailer that came out two months ago teased about the potential queer story with Riley being a gay character.
The trailer teased a new set of emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment in teenage Riley. Moreover, it focused on Riley’s experience navigating high school and making new friends, including Valentina ‘Val’ Ortiz.
However, it’s Riley’s reactions to Val that, in particular, led many fans to ponder whether, in Inside Out 2, Riley will be gay. Many fans claim that they got the queer impression from Riley’s portrayal in the trailer.
Inside Out 2
IMDb Animation Adventure ComedyFollow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions
| Director | Kelsey Mann |
| Release Date | June 14, 2024 |
| Studio | Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures |
| Cast | Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black |
| Runtime | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Writers | Dave Holstein, Meg LeFauve |
| Rating | PG |
The fandoms remain divided: For some, Riley is queer; for others, it’s just friendly!
Right after the trailer release, the Inside Out fandom was in an uproar. Some claimed they resonated with the sapphic experience in the scene, while some suggested Riley’s nervousness in front of a popular girl without any romantic interest.
Valentina Ortiz is a new character in the Inside Out franchise with a catchy red streak in her hair. When Riley introduces herself to Val, she becomes a bundle of blushes. She even goes on to fire off a pair of finger guns to impress Val.
With that, the trailer hints at the storyline that Riley and Val grow closer, albeit we do not know if they hit off romantically or just as two friends.
Her new emotion is lesbianism https://t.co/dboc8ZEH37
— Retr0 ✦ Nkechi (@art_retr0) March 7, 2024
Regardless, Riley’s potential development, with an aspect of fluidity in her identity, has divided the fans.
One fan tweeted, “Her (Riley) new emotion is lesbianism.“ To which another fan added, “I’m picking up on more bi vibes, and this is going to be interesting.”
On the contrary, another wrote, “This is not homosexualty (sic), she is kist stressed and embarrassed (sic) she want to he friend with this « cool » girl thats it.”
Meanwhile, given the history of Pixar movies with ambiguous character’s sexuality, some are calling the film a queerbait. One Twitter user wrote, “tbh looks like queerbaiting.”
As of now, there are no official updates on whether Riley is a queer character. So, all of these speculations and rumors will be straightened out by the movie’s release on June 14.
Additional Information
- Maya Hawke and Ayo Edibri are the voices behind the new emotions of Riley, Anxiety, and Envy, respectively. And they are both openly queer actors in Hollywood.
- The queer speculation of the upcoming film, ‘Inside Out 2,’ is making the movie receive both positive and negative reviews.
- The previous ‘Inside Out’ movie collected over $858 million at the global box office.
