The conversation around Pixar’s Lightyear and its same-sex couple has resurfaced thanks to some remarks from Snoop Dogg that no expected. The rapper recently admitted he was caught off guard by the film’s lesbian kiss and the fact that the couple has a child, sparking backlash online and a response from Lightyear writer Lauren Gunderson.
Snoop explained that the moment left him confused when his grandson asked how two women could have a baby. He recalled, “I didn’t come in for this shit. I just came to watch the goddamn movie,” later adding, “It f*cked me up… I’m like, scared to go to the movies. Y’all throwing me in the middle of shit that I don’t have an answer for.”
His comments drew heavy criticism, with some fans even calling for him to be removed from performing at Australia’s AFL Grand Final. The podcast segment where he made the comments was originally edited out, but clips reappeared online after accusations of a “cover-up.”
In response to the backlash, Snoop shared a message on Instagram that sounded like an apology and an acknowledgment that he was unprepared. “I was just caught off guard and had no answer for my grandsons,” he wrote.
“All my gay friends [know] what’s up. They been calling me with love. My bad for not knowing the answers for a 6-year-old. Teach me how to learn. I’m not perfect.”
Meanwhile, Gunderson, who was part of the Pixar team that developed the story, directly addressed the controversy by standing firmly behind the decision to include the lesbian relationship.
“So. I created the Lightyear lesbians. In 2018, I was a writer at Pixar – such a cool place, grateful to work there, learned a ton from kind and impressive creatives. As we wrote early versions of what became Lightyear, a key character needed a partner, and it was so natural to write ‘she’ instead of ‘he.’
She continued, “As small as that detail is in the film, I knew the representational effect it could have. Small line, big deal. I was elated that they kept it. I’m proud of it. To infinity. Love is love.”
Lightyear was released in 2022, and while it earned positive reviews, the film underperformed at the box office with just $226 million worldwide, losing Disney and Pixar around $100 million.
Part of the reason came down to tough competition from Jurassic World Dominion and Top Gun: Maverick, but the studio also faced internal struggles. Reports revealed that Disney executives initially pushed to remove overtly LGBTQ+ representation before employees pushed back, leading to the reinstatement of the kiss.
The controversy around Snoop’s comments has reignited discussion about the film’s cultural impact, especially since Gunderson’s creative choice was always about normalizing representation.
While Snoop has asked for understanding and education, Gunderson’s stance remains clear.
