On Twitter, fans are definitely reading gayness in the main characters — and they’re loving the feels the movie gives them as a result. “Luca is a gay Disney movie. Alberto is a homosexual and I love him,” said @lgbtommysnail. “The gay allegory in Pixar’s Luca was so poignant for my partner and I. What a great film!,” posted @HMMLynnWrites. “#Luca is one of the most beautiful queer-coded films i’ve ever seen. it perfectly captures the feeling of the best friend you’re kinda in love with as a young gay kid, the confusion, the fear of being different & hiding.. despite it using sea monster metaphors to do it. 1000/10!!,” posted @blysmanors.
Not everyone was happy, of course, because they felt “Luca” was a gay film designed to be acceptable to the movie-going public. “the mixed messaging in Luca astonishing. It’s exactly like saying ITS OKAY TO BE and then writing the word gay in lowercase cursive on a piece of paper and folding that paper and sticking it in someone’s pocket,” noted @absrdst.
And @bingheluvr69 pointed out, “dk where I thought I heard something about Luca being gay so I got my expectations up also cus it’s pride month I actually thought But it was still a cute movie even if DisPixar are cowards.”
Others denied this read of the film, with one Twitter user asserting that Italian culture allows platonic friendships that look like Luca and Alberto’s relationship. Some posters wondered why this had to be seen as a gay relationship versus a close boyhood friendship, although others noted that gay relationships are often sexualized on-screen but can be as innocent as youthful heterosexual relationships as well. And others felt that by viewing “Luca” through a queer-coded lens, the movie ceases being relatable to others. @CYBrady said, “What a way to reduce a timeless story into a single narrative. That’s a GREAT way to kill it. It’s NOT JUST about being the Gay. It’s about BEING DIFFERENT.”
