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Disney's Strange World was released on November 23, 2022. Walt Disney Animated Studios had a great year in 2021, receiving extraordinary praise for their releases. While Raya and the Last Dragon came to be recognized as a critically acclaimed masterpiece, Enchanto performed even better with audiences and critics, as it eventually won the Oscars.
Strange World was directed by Don Hall, who also helmed Big Hero 6, and was written by Qui Nguyen, who also wrote Raya and the Last Dragon.
It's never enough for Disney, though, as we just saw the release of its latest offering. The 61st Disney animated film came from the same creative minds that worked on Moana and Big Hero 6. While we meet many new characters in the film, Ethan Clade stands out as one of the finest Disney has ever made. Ethan is Disney's first openly gay character.
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Ethan Clade is played by the Twitter comic Jaboukie Young-White, who brings the same ferocity to the screen as he does in his comedic pursuits. It makes fans wonder whether Strange World is about the LGBTQ+ community.
Is Strange World about the LGBTQ+ community?
Ethan's voice actor Jaboukie Young-White on the film's importance
Jaboukie Young-White came out as queer in 2017. He has spoken about the character of Ethan and his significance to the LGBTQ+ community. In an interview with Yahoo, Jaboukie said that Ethan's story isn't so much about self-discovery as it is about acceptance.
“It’s not a story about him coming out, it’s not a story about him trying to find acceptance for his sexuality. It’s just Ethan coming into himself wholly, fully, and in an environment that is ready to support him.”
Jaboukie also said that a film such as Strange World is important for younger audiences, as he would have liked to watch the film as a kid as well.
“I think it would have been dope if I could have seen this as a kid. Knowing that I could be a part of that for somebody else, that’s beautiful.”
Strange World is about all realms of exploration and acceptance
The title "Strange World" serves as a metaphor for a number of things. While on the surface it's about a world that is alien to them and doesn't obey the laws of nature at all, it also refers to other themes in the film.
It's about the exploration of generational ties within a family and how there is always more than one way to open up and accept someone for who they are.
Ethan's father, Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), also finds filling his father's shoes (Dennis Quaid) as an explorer rather strange and wants to live a life of peace and quiet on the farm. While Ethan wants to explore and experience the world, he must deal with his feelings for a boy named Diazo at the same time. The film deals with the emotional, spiritual, and physical dimensions of our being, and tells us that acceptance is the key.
