Disney debuts first plus-size heroine in film about body dysmorphia

Disney has just released its first film starring a plus-sized female heroine.

Reflect is a new short film launching on the organisation's Disney+ service, and is about a ballet dancer called Bianca.

The short follows “a ballet dancer who battles her own reflection, overcoming doubt and fear by channeling her inner strength, grace and power”.

It's part of an experimental series launched by the company that seeks to deal with issues of body image, identity, and self-esteem.

Directed by Hillary Bradfield, a clip of the trailer shows Bianca dancing in front of a broken mirror in the dark, before she bursts through it in a shower of light.

Disney has made efforts to improve the diversity of its characters in recent years. In fact, the protagonist of the 2021 blockbuster Encanto, which tells the story of a Colombian family with magical powers, was loosely inspired by a letter sent to Disney by nine-year-old Lowri Moore from Nottingham.

She asked bosses for a character who looked like her, and wore glasses.

Three years later, they wrote back, offering her the chance to see Encanto. The film's lead, Madrigal, also wears glasses, and doesn't have any magical powers - save to make children feel good about themselves.

What is body dysmorphia?

According to the NHS, body dysmorphia is a mental health condition where people spend a lot of time worried and anxious about perceived flaws in their appearance - which are often un-noticeable to other people.

It's most common in teenagers and young adults - but treatments, which can include therapy and/or medication, can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety.

It's thought that up to 0.5% of the population in the UK struggle with body dysmorphia - with the rate far higher among young people.