Is Luca Gay? Here’s What We Know About Pixar’s Luca

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Learn why fans view “Luca” as a queer allegory

Co-authored by Samantha Fulton, BA

Last Updated: April 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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Are Luca and Alberto gay?

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Queer-Coding in the Movie

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Hints that Luberto is Canon

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Since its release in 2021, Pixar’s Luca, has stirred fan theories about a romantic relationship between main characters Luca Paguro and Alberto Scorfano (dubbed Luberto). The film follows the 2 boys, who transform into sea monsters when they touch water, as they attempt to hide their identities in the fictional town of Portarosso. In this article, we’ll unpack statements from director Enrico Casarosa, evidence of queer-coding in the film, and recent hints at a canonical romance between Luca and Alberto. Let’s dive in!

Is Luca gay in Pixar’s Luca?

Enrico Casarosa, the director of Luca, has said that Luca is not canonically gay. Rather, the film is meant to depict a close, platonic connection modeled after Casarosa’s own childhood friendship. However, there is ample evidence of queer coding, allowing fans to interpret Luca as a queer allegory.

Section 1 of 3:

Are Luca and Alberto canonically gay?

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Director Enrico Casarosa says that Luca and Alberto are not gay. In a direct acknowledgement of fan theories, Casarosa has denied that Luca and Alberto are anything but close friends. Casarosa has explained in multiple interviews that the relationship between Luca and Alberto is platonic and based on his own childhood friendship.^{[1]
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- Casarosa and his real-life childhood best friend had a friendship similar to Luca and Alberto’s. He shared that they bonded over feeling like outsiders, much like the animated pair.
- The real-life friends helped each other through their childhood insecurities by silencing their inner voice with the same chant, “Silenzio, Bruno,” as Luca and Alberto.
While Luca and Alberto are not gay in the film, Casarosa says the creative team introduced the idea early on in the writing process. However, he added that “the reason probably we didn’t talk about it as much … is that we were really focusing on friendship and so pre-romance.”^{[2]
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However, Casarosa is delighted by LGBTQ+ fan theories. Casarosa embraces fan theories of all shapes and sizes in regard to Luca. He has said he feels honored that viewers from the LGBTQ+ community have interpreted his film as an allegory for the queer experience.^{[3]
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- There have also been theories about Luca representing racial differences.
- Delighted by all fan theories, Casarosa has said, “We always thought this was about owning yourself, owning your difference, and flying your freak flag. I’ve been amazed at how many different flags have been brought up to the table that we hadn’t immediately foreseen.”^{[4]
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Section 2 of 3:

Evidence of Queer-Coding in Luca

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Luca’s first transformation imitates a queer “coming out.” In one of Luca’s initial interactions with Alberto, Alberto confidently leaves the water and transforms into a human. He then yanks Luca out of the water, making him transform as well. Up until this point, Luca has been hiding below the water to avoid the prejudice that humans have against sea monsters.
- Luca’s hesitancy to leave the water seems to reflect the experience of queer individuals who are afraid of coming out of the closet. Alberto pushes him to “come out,” and Luca becomes more confident in his ability to navigate the human world.
  - After his initial “coming out,” Luca desires more time with Alberto outside of the water.
- Queer-coding refers to media that implies a fictional character is LGBTQ+ through subtext without explicitly stating their sexual orientation.
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Luca’s parents attempt to send him to “the deep” to separate him from Alberto. After his parents find out Luca has been spending time on land with Alberto, they plan to send him to “the deep” with his uncle. They say it’s for his own good and that they’re protecting him from the human world.
- This parallels the common queer experience of being or feeling pressured to stay in the closet. Luca’s parents want to protect him from the judgment humans will pass if they find out who he really is, so they send him away.
  - This is also a trope that appears in explicitly gay media, such as the 1999 satire film, But I’m a Cheerleader, where the lesbian protagonist’s parents send her to a gay conversion camp.
- Luca then runs away with Alberto so they can continue to spend time together in the human world, building a sort of “found family,” which is a common trope in queer media.
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Luca and Alberto share many intimate, seemingly romantic moments. Many of the interactions between Luca and Alberto seem romantically charged, and they are often physically affectionate. While Casarosa has said that their relationship is platonic, he still cops to the romantic elements of their relationship. Casarosa said, “There’s a lot of hugging and it’s physical, and my experience as a straight man certainly wasn’t that.”^{[5]
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- In particular, the 2 boys share an emotional goodbye at a train station before Luca leaves to attend school with Giulia. They share a long hug and Alberto is shown running after the train as it departs. This scene brings to mind the common romantic airport/train station scene often featured at the end of rom-coms (such as Love Actually).
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Luca’s relationship with Giulia triggers a jealous response from Alberto. When Luca bonds with Giulia, a human girl in Portarosso, Alberto becomes increasingly jealous. Luca begins spending more time with Giulia and bonding over shared interests, which leads Alberto to act out. In one scene, Alberto even reveals that he’s a sea monster and attempts to “out” Luca to scare Giulia off—Luca denies it and pretends to be afraid of Alberto.
- Luca’s fear about Giulia finding out who he really is parallels the fear of a queer individual who is in a straight connection to conceal their identity.
  - This is another trope that is common in explicitly queer media, such as the hit TV show, Heated Rivalry, when protagonist Shane Hollander gets into a relationship with Rose Landry (who doesn’t know that he’s gay) to hide his homosexuality.
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Luca and Alberto fear prejudice from the town about their true identities. Fearful of being discovered, Luca and Alberto pretend to be regular human boys. They keep their identities as sea monsters a secret and are scared of anybody in Portorosso finding out. At the end of the film, their identities are revealed, leading to outrage from some, but acceptance from Giulia and her father (another parallel with the “found family” trope).
- After Luca and Alberto are “outed,” Luca’s grandmother says to his parents, “Some people, they’ll never accept him. But some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones.” This quote drives home the idea of Luca and Alberto finding the equivalent of a “found family,” who accept them regardless of their identities.

Section 3 of 3:

Recent Hints that Luberto is Canon

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Luca story lead McKenna Jean Harris has endorsed the theory. Harris (they/them), who also directed spin-off Ciao Alberto (2021), has shared Luberto fanart on their Instagram, seeming to confirm the ship. Harris shared 4 illustrations of Luca and Alberto, titled “Kenna’s Unsanctioned Fanart,” which depict the pair in multiple romantic embraces.^{[6]
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- Harris has explained that the 4 illustrations track Luca and Alberto over the course of 4 summers. “I had a whole sequence in mind of Luca and Alberto reuniting for four summers in a row, culminating in a kiss,” they said.
- Although Harris’s vision hasn’t been officially endorsed by Casarosa, fans are thrilled about Harris’s support of the LGBTQ+ theory.
A fan caught a video of Luca and Alberto park characters at Disneyland Resort holding hands, which has fueled fan theories that Luberto is a canonical ship. Many fans believe that this was Disney’s subtle confirmation of Luca and Alberto’s relationship, although some believe it was a platonic gesture.^{[7]
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