(PM.) Following the failures of Disney’s race-swapped The Little Mermaid and Elemental featuring a non-binary character, Disney’s chief diversity officer is out of a job.
According to Variety, Latondra Newton has served as Disney’s chief diversity officer since 2017, and an internal memo from Disney’s chief human resources officer Sonia Coleman announced Newton’s departure to staff on Tuesday.
The letter obtained by the outlet stated that Newton, “…decided to leave The Walt Disney Company to pursue other endeavors.”
Coleman continued, “Latondra has led the company’s strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including partnering with stakeholders across the enterprise to amplify stories of the world by people around the world. She has been dedicated to ensuring every person sees themselves and their life experiences represented in a meaningful and authentic way.”
“I know you all join me in thanking Latondra for her many contributions, including the lasting impact she has had on our employees and our culture,” Coleman added. “Working alongside all of you and so many others, she has inspired countless cast members and employees to bring about lasting change and to help create a world where we can all feel safe and we all belong.”
According to the memo, “Latondra’s direct reports will report to Julie Merges on an interim basis until a new DEI leader is identified.”
Variety reported that Newton plans “…to join a corporate board and focus on a creative company she owns.”
Disney’s latest release, Elemental, tanked at the box office its opening weekend and is on track to be one of the lowest premiers for the company since the late 1990s.
Elemental earned an estimated $29.6 million over the three-day June 16 weekend, which marks the lowest weekend premiere for a Pixar title since Toy Story’s release in 1995, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film was hyped as having Disney’s first-ever non-binary character Lake Ripple, voiced by Ava Hauser, who identifies as non-binary.
