Jillian Bell from Godmother on Disney Movie Inclusive Message

Disney + Godmother could be the silly story of a disconnected person fairy godmother trying to prove that magic is still needed in the world, but at its core there is a heartwarming message from accept us. Nowhere is it better shown than in a little moment, the blink of an eye and you might miss it, which star Jillian Bell said brought her to tears.

At a press conference for Godmother, io9 asked Bell for an animated sequence in the film where (avoiding spoilers here) we see a group of young godmothers in their big, beautiful dresses preparing to practice magic. One of the godmothers in the photo has a short haircut, leading Bell to believe it could be a boy or a gender non-conforming person. Bell said she was “torn” seeing the character and was thrilled to see them included in a Disney movie.

“I actually got to see just a leaf of all the little fairy godmothers, and I immediately responded and said, ‘Is that a boy or is that a non-binary person? Either way, I’m very – I’m very excited anyway, “Bell told io9. “This is progressive and inclusive and will make someone feel seen. I think at the end of the day, if we can do that in such a great movie and a Disney movie, that’s a beautiful thing.

Now, a lot of women and girls have short pixie-length hair (myself included), but Bell felt that the inclusion of the character left the door open for everyone to see themselves in the little godmother. . Several co-stars, including Isla Fisher and Jane Curtin, emphatically nodded. (We reached out to director Sharon Maguire, as well as writers Kari Granlund and Melissa Stack, for confirmation, but they were not available for comment.)

This comes at a time when we are seeing much greater growth in terms of gender identity and expression in Hollywood. Singer Harry Styles recently made headlines honoring the vogue cover, telling the magazine, “I find myself looking at women’s clothes, thinking they’re amazing.” And actor Billy Porter will play a fairy godmother in an upcoming live-action adaptation of Cinderella with Camila Cabello. It’s about recognizing that everyone can be whatever they want: a princess, a pirate, even a fairy godmother. As Curtin said, it’s all about creating the happiness you want.

“If you want it, if you believe you can get it, it’s something that doesn’t depend on magic,” Curtin said. “I think it’s really something we all need to remember, that we’re capable of amazing things and such positive things for ourselves and for others. And that’s happy forever.

Godmother – which also stars Santiago Cabrera, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, June Squibb, Jillian Shea Spaeder, Willa Skye, Artemis Pebdani, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Stephnie Weir – debuts on Disney + on December 4.

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