In an age where storytelling transcends borders, an intriguing dilemma has emerged within the halls of Hollywood and beyond: Is it inherently wrong for creators to tell stories that explore cultures and characters outside their own lived experience? Over the past decade, this question has ignited heated discussions among writers, filmmakers, and audiences alike, forcing us to confront the complexities of representation. While some argue for an unwavering emphasis on authenticity—citing films like Jordan Peele’s masterful Get Out as exemplars of cultural specificity—others advocate for a more nuanced approach, suggesting that with the right sensitivity and respect, stories of diverse cultures can be told compellingly and authentically. One shining example is Pixar’s Coco, which faced its own identity crisis before it became a celebration of Dia De La Muertos. As we delve into the process of creating narratives that honor the cultures they depict, we not only reflect on the responsibility of storytellers but also consider the rich possibilities that arise from empathetic collaboration. So, how do we navigate this vast and intricate landscape? Let’s explore this critical conversation, shall we? LEARN MORE.
Over the last decade, an unanswerable question has sparked ferocious debate not just in Hollywood, but throughout literature and other creative disciplines: Is it OK to write stories about characters and cultures you don’t belong to?
There are many who will argue no—that it’s essential when representing other communities on-screen, especially unrepresented ones, to have that lived experience. Could a non-Black filmmaker have made Get Out, for example? Not with the chilling cultural specificity that Jordan Peele brought to that acclaimed horror-thriller, resulting in one of the most authentic-feeling portraits of racism in post-Obama America.
Others, however, are more flexible on the issue, saying that it’s possible to write stories about other cultures so long as you’re doing so with tremendous sensitivity, responsibility, and commitment to authenticity. 2017’s Coco—one of Pixar’s most beloved films—is an example of how it can be done right.
Why Pixar’s First Draft of Coco Fell Flat
Telling the tale of a boy who visits the Land of the Dead on the Mexican holiday Dia De La Muertos, it was directed by Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) and co-written by Matthew Aldrich, who told me recently how the animation studio almost got the film spectacularly wrong when it came to representation.
“It was originally about an American kid who had a mother who was Mexican, and she passes away. Then he travels with his father to the mother’s family down in Mexico. The ending of that [version of the] film was very much about the boy learning to let go of his mother,” Aldrich explained on Script Apart, my podcast about first drafts of great movies.
“But that’s a very American idea, right?” Aldrich noted. “We [believe] in this country that the finish line of grief is letting go. But that is not what this holiday [Dia De La Muertos] is about. It’s about remembering the people we lose and holding on, not letting go. So, that really screeched the brakes on that story.”
The problem was that Pixar was using Mexican culture as a “set dressing” for a story rooted in American ideas and beliefs, Aldrich continues.
A lengthy process of consultation with Hispanic-identifying artists and collaborators began, as Unkrich, Aldrich, and co-writer Adrian Molina (who does have Mexican heritage) reworked Coco in search of something truer to the culture it was celebrating.
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The result was widespread adoration in America, worldwide, and, importantly, in Mexico, where Dia De La Muertos has reportedly enjoyed an increase in popularity among young people due to the film.
“That’s something we’re really proud of,” Aldrich said.
Read More: How To Write a Trilogy, According to Quentin Tarantino
How to Write Representation
What is the lesson from all this for emerging screenwriters? If you have a story idea involving a culture that’s not your own that you’re really passionate about, do the work. Research diligently. Collaborate with people whose insights can help you do justice to the culture you’re depicting—then credit and reward those collaborators for their work accordingly.
Try to step outside of your Anglicised belief system and view the story through the values of the community you’re depicting—just like the Coco team had to do when they ripped up their first draft.
Do all these things, and you’ll stand a better chance at writing a script that doesn’t use other cultures as “set dressing.” Who knows, you might just write the next Coco.
Read More: 5 Ways Screenwriters Can (and Should) Include Diversity in Their Writing
Al Horner is a London-based journalist, screenwriter, and presenter. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Empire Magazine, GQ, BBC, Little White Lies, TIME Magazine, and more.
