Fans of Disney were quick to point out that a recent tweet from the official Disney+ Twitter account seemingly misinterprets the character of Luisa in Encanto. The animated musical was released in 2021 and became an instant classic, eventually earning a spot as the second highest-grossing animated film of the year and receiving widespread critical acclaim. The release and subsequent success of the film also incited praise for Walt Disney Studios for expanding their diversity efforts. Encanto notably featured Disney's first all-Latinx cast and one would need not look further than commentary across social media to learn just how impactful the film was in authentically representing Colombian culture.
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The film follows multiple generations of the extraordinary Madrigal family who live in a rural community called the Encanto. While all the Madrigal children possess a unique magical gift, the young Mirabel Madrigal soon becomes the family's last hope as the magic of the Encanto becomes compromised, and she must set out to save her community. Amid the praise the film garnered for its representation of the Colombian experience, many also revered the depiction of the central female characters, all of whom face unique personal challenges and shift the paradigm of Disney's typical portrayal of women. The character Luisa, who has the power of super strength, particularly came as a refreshingly stark contrast to the media company's long history of depicting women as physically petite with a classically feminine gender expression. Furthermore, Luisa is a layered character who is not defined by her muscular build, but eventually admits to feeling insecure and weak despite her physical strength. Her growing anxiety culminates in Luisa's song "Surface Pressure", in which her vulnerability becomes apparent as she admits to the internal struggle she faces under the crushing responsibility of having to protect her community at all times.
The increasing complexity of the character as her strength becomes unsustainable while her anxiety takes over is what makes the recent tweet from the official Disney+ Twitter so ironic. The post, which features a meme wherein two pianos that Luisa lifts above her head represent the weight of daily pressures, includes a caption praising the supporting character's unique strength. Fans of the film immediately responded to point out that the original tweet is a complete misunderstanding of Luisa's character arc which ultimately asserts that no matter how strong one is, it is impossible to maintain that strength alone under the constant pressure of external demands. Check out the tweet below:
Disney Twitter's Encanto Post Continues Funny Trend
Many replies to the tweet joked that the Disney+ Twitter account missed the point of the film or has perhaps never even seen Encanto. Others took the opportunity to point out Disney's past social media blunders where they misrepresented the plot of their own films, such as a 2020 tweet about the importance of family that used an image of Chicken Little and his father despite the fact that much of the film hinges on the lack of support the character receives from his father. While much of the discourse following the original tweet has been in good fun, the gaffe has also reignited a conversation about Disney's potential hypocrisy around the importance of rest and asking for help from others while still promoting a culture of overwork within the company.
For years Disney workers, from animators to employees of Disneyland, have spoken out about being overworked and underpaid. The company, which has famously maintained an anti-union stance, has had a history of questionable employment practices, and allegations that include claims of discrimination and poverty-level wages haven't gone anywhere. Just this year an open letter from Disney employees who chose to remain nameless accused The Walt Disney Company of cultivating a toxic work environment. These experiences shared by Disney employees, unfortunately, undermine the impact of Encanto's anti-individualist messaging, making the recent Twitter slip-up all the more ironic.