Jack Whehall's role as first major gay Disney character sparks row | Film | The Guardian

Contents:

• ‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM
• JACK WHEHALL FAC BACKLASH AS DISNEY'S 'FIRST GAY MAN'
• JACK WHEHALL B: GIRLIEND, FAY, WORTH, IS HE GAY?
• ‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM
• IS JACK WHEHALL GAY? THE COMEDIAN FACED SPECULATN ABOUT HIS SEXUALY AFTER BEG CAST FOR A QUEER ROLE
• IS JACK WHEHALL GAY? WHAT IS THE SEXUALY OF BRISH COMEDIAN AND ACTOR?
• IS JACK WHEHALL GAY, IS HE MARRIED, WHO IS THE WOMAN, HIS AGE AND HEIGHT?
• JACK WHEHALL'S 'JUNGLE CISE' CHARACTER OUT AS GAY A NOT SO 'BIG AL' KD OF A WAY
• COMEDIAN JACK WHEHALL TO PLAY DISNEY'S FIRST-EVER OPENLY GAY CHARACTER 'JUNGLE CISE'
• 'JUNGLE CISE' 'S JACK WHEHALL SAYS HE'S 'PROUD' OF GAY CHARACTER'S COMG-OUT MOMENT FILM
• ‘JUNGLE CISE’S’ GAY CHARACTER IS YET ANOTHER BABY STEP FROM DISNEY
• THE STG OF DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER IS APPROPRIATE
• 'JACK WHEHALL ST BY DISNEY AS GAY JUNGLE CISE - DO MATTER HE'S STRAIGHT?'
• PEOPLE ARE OUTRAGED JACK WHEHALL IS PLAYG DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER 'JUNGLE CISE'
• A GAY CHARACTER SPARKS BATE AND A REFORMED TRAR SAM EMERG DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE'
• JACK WHEHALL'S ROLE AS FIRST MAJOR GAY DISNEY CHARACTER SPARKS ROW
• JACK WHEHALL'S CASTG AS GAY CHARACTER IN DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE' SLAMMED

‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM

PSA: Ladi, Jack Whehall Is SgleLearn more about Jack Whehall ahead of Season 3 of 'Travels Wh My Father, ' cludg his relatnship stat and whether he is gay or Apr. Article ntu below advertisementTogether, they do naked yoga, chat about the Spice Girls, and Jack even pet a round of what his dad lls "homoerotic man-on-man wrtlg. "Source: NetflixArticle ntu below advertisementJack Whehall received some backlash for takg on the role of a gay character.

Back 2018, when he was tapped to play the role of McGregor Houghton, an openly gay man Disney's forthg Jungle Cise, the reactn was not overwhelmgly posive. "I jt feel a b off about people bag a muny wh queer storyl, gettg our money then not properly reprentg/rg about queer people or even volvg them at all your entire ~gay project~, " one person wrote on Twter. "If you are gog to e beg mp (which I know is entertag for dienc) as a ma tra of the gay character, at least let a gay person play them?

JACK WHEHALL FAC BACKLASH AS DISNEY'S 'FIRST GAY MAN'

" Even ntroversial Piers Man joed the nversatn to ask, "You're not gay @jackwhehall???? " So, seems pretty clear that Jack isn't gay, though he hasn't openly rpond to the mentary about his upg role, other than to say he was "honoured" to have been st.

JACK WHEHALL B: GIRLIEND, FAY, WORTH, IS HE GAY?

Jack Whehall says he didn’t know that his character McGregor “Jungle Cise” was gay when he origally dned for the film. While he don’t e the word “gay, ” he says he broke off three engagements wh women bee his “terts happily lay elsewhere.

Jack Whehall opens up about playg a gay character #JungleCise, teasg a "signifint scene the movie" that was "thought about and talked about a lot" behd the scen.

‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM

The activi have prompted people to qutn whether the edian and actor is gay.

In 2018, he also played the role of McGregor Houghton, an openly gay character on Jungle Cise. While Jack Whehall gay mours stemmed om the two cints, he is not 2011 to 2017, mol Gemma Chan was Jack Whehall girliend. The young man is yet to get married and has nfirmed that he is is not gay.

It is a fair qutn nsirg the Brish edian is the face of Disney's first homosexual character a major role Dwayne Johnson and Ey Blunt-led "Jungle Cise. "Jack Whehall is not gay, which ed a mor backlash when news of his stg as the effete brother of Ey Blunt's character the movie set the twenti me funnyman has extensively dated many famo women sually and has been long-term relatnships. "Why Some Took Offense to Jack Whehall Rakg a Queer RoleAt the June 2021 "Jungle Cise" premier, Whehall revealed to Variety that he had not known the part's sexual orientatn when he saw the ial was spotted hangg out wh Dua Blunt's onscreen brother was happy about the way they approached the gay character.

IS JACK WHEHALL GAY? THE COMEDIAN FACED SPECULATN ABOUT HIS SEXUALY AFTER BEG CAST FOR A QUEER ROLE

Even though is not explicly stated that he is gay, a signifint scene mak the film me out mid-2021, popular OnlyFans creator Adam Ellis praised the Brish edian's ic timg but thought the character "felt a ltle gross" played by Whehall when there are "so many funny gay actors. Actor Louis Gnc poted out that a straight actor a gay role was not the issue.

IS JACK WHEHALL GAY? WHAT IS THE SEXUALY OF BRISH COMEDIAN AND ACTOR?

He elaborated:"It's the fact that this is the FIRST openly gay Disney lead. And to not allow an openly gay actor to pave the way is jt a shame. Together, they do naked yoga, talk about the Spice Girls, and even do what Jack's dad lls “homoerotic man-on-man wrtlg.

Some people didn't like when Jack Whehall played a gay character.

Back 2018, when he was chosen to play an openly gay guy named McGregor Houghton Disney's upg Jungle Cise, the rponse was not very posive. “I jt feel a ltle weird about people lurg a muny wh queer stori, gettg our money, and then not properly showg or rg about queer people or even volvg them at all your whole “gay project, ” one person wrote on Twter. ” “If you're gog to have the gay character be mp, which I know is entertag for the dience, at least let a gay person play them.

IS JACK WHEHALL GAY, IS HE MARRIED, WHO IS THE WOMAN, HIS AGE AND HEIGHT?

Even the ntroversial Piers Man joed the chat to ask, “You're not gay, @jackwhehall???? ” So, seems pretty clear that Jack isn't gay, even though he hasn't directly rpond to the ments about his upg part other than to say he was “honored” to be st. Portrayg Gay Character Sparks Rumors About Actor’s Sexualy!

Well the answer is no exaggeratn, the cute edian has a straight sexual orientatn and he is not gay.

LOS ANGELES -- Brish actor Jack Whehall is proud of his gay character the new Disney adventure film 'Jungle Cise. In a scene where MacGregor and Frank (Dwayne Johnson) are sharg a drk, the character out whout actually g the word "gay". Whehall, who reportedly didn't realize his character was gay when he got the part, went on to add: "It's a really nice cultural shift that we n have mastream movi and entertament that actually reflect the world that we live .

JACK WHEHALL'S 'JUNGLE CISE' CHARACTER OUT AS GAY A NOT SO 'BIG AL' KD OF A WAY

English edian Jack Whehall is slated to star Disney's Jungle Cise as s first-ever openly gay character.

His stg has sparked cricism due to the actor beg straight, not gay.

Comedian Jack Whehall was st "Jungle Cise" to play Disney's first-ever openly gay character. "Your first signifint gay role will be played by a straight whe man perpetuatg stereotyp?

COMEDIAN JACK WHEHALL TO PLAY DISNEY'S FIRST-EVER OPENLY GAY CHARACTER 'JUNGLE CISE'

" English TV personaly Jam Barr suggted the stg choice was "a b sad, " tweetg: "It's not that 's a problem to st a fantastic straight ally to play a gay role, 's that there are so many gay actors that are unr-reprented all sorts of rol across the board. She was cricized for signg on to play the role of a transgenr Whehall may be the first actor to play an openly gay character a Disney film, the Moe Hoe has featured characters who were seemgly gay before.

Lus Grabeel, who played Ryan Evans Disney Channel's High School Mil anchise, was never nfirmed as gay spe fellow stmate Corb Bl claimg the movie's openly-gay director Kenny Ortega saw a nnectn between himself and the character. Lily Houghton who eventually reveals himself to be gay the adventure film. "\u201cJack Whehall opens up about playg a gay character #JungleCise, teasg a "signifint scene the movie" that was "thought about and talked about a lot" behd the scen.

'JUNGLE CISE' 'S JACK WHEHALL SAYS HE'S 'PROUD' OF GAY CHARACTER'S COMG-OUT MOMENT FILM

It’s another step om Disney toward LGBTQ+ reprentatn that feels big the ntext of the opprsively heterosexual rporatn—certaly, ’s an improvement over some of the lghably meangls Disney “gay moments” recent years—but small the ntext of the year 2021. This is hardly the first time mastream Ameri has seen a gay man on a TV or movie screen.

McGregor Houghton (Whehall) had already been d as a gay man, somewhat stereotypilly, throughout the film—fsy, effemate, and a ltle too to skre. ) But about an hour to the film, Frank and McGregor share a quiet moment together, which McGregor reveals— so many words— that he recently me out as gay to his fay.

‘JUNGLE CISE’S’ GAY CHARACTER IS YET ANOTHER BABY STEP FROM DISNEY

In 2017, Bety and the Beast director Bill Condon promised an “exclively gay moment a Disney movie, ” which turned out to be a two-send shot of LeFou—as played by Josh Gad—dancg wh a man the film’s fal ball sequence, jt before the creds roll. Two years later, Avengers: Endgame -director Joe Rso revealed the film would feature the Marvel Cematic Universe’s first-ever openly gay character, which turned out to be a random du (played by Rso) g male pronouns to refer to his romantic partner.

THE STG OF DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER IS APPROPRIATE

Unsurprisgly, the queer muny has not rpond wh gratu to the gay bread cmbs om Disney. Unlike Bety and the Beast, his “gay moment” is an actual, hont-to-God scene that lasts for longer than two sends, and is not thrown at the very end of the film. For once, the filmmakers didn’t proudly announce “Disney’s first gay character” while pattg themselv on the back for “reprentatn.

) There’s even a good exce to avoid the word “gay, ” given that Jungle Cise tak place the early 1900s, a time when the term “gay” ually meant feelg happy and nothg more. Some may argue—reasonably so—that a movie about a magil tree and ghosts is allowed a gay anachronism or two.

Personally, I re ls about hearg the word “gay, ” so much as I re about beg shown that McGregor is actually attracted to men. But ocsnally a nundm along that seems to have been created only to tch out or tt our perceptn of what means to be a gay man, and th an tomatic member of the LGBTQ muny, I see my right to exist be ee qutned on an almost hourly basis thanks to the power of the ter, and I have a crick my neck om reachg up to the breadcmbs of equaly society has igned to offer om s whered hand.

'JACK WHEHALL ST BY DISNEY AS GAY JUNGLE CISE - DO MATTER HE'S STRAIGHT?'

This is why when was announced Disney was makg The Jungle Cise, a movie which would feature a character who was “openly gay” – a phrase that self mak the ia seem like a sishow at a rnival rather than a long overdue wrong beg righted – I was ut.

“You’re not gay so you n’t play the role” don’t cut The stg of non-cisgenr, queer or LGBTQ rol has been a hot topic recently – Srlett Johansson beme a meme thanks to takg on, before pullg out of, the role of a trans man – and Whehall’s stg has attracted a great al of bate, some of enlighteng and nsired but mostly wls and hysteril.

Some say ’s fe for a straight man to play a gay character, while others claim ’s unfair on gay actors, and gus what? But this is an exceptnal se and much of the bate centrg around the Project Fear-que assertn that “soon only gay actors will be able to play gay characters, so do that mean they n’t play straight any more?!

PEOPLE ARE OUTRAGED JACK WHEHALL IS PLAYG DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER 'JUNGLE CISE'

Levellg the playg field would take centuri of renovatns and ’s potls to pretend otherwise, so stead we make sure those who’ve never felt equaly are offered the same chanc as those who have historilly sensible is sayg gay actors n’t play straight any more, or that gay characters n never be played by a heterosexual, but what we are sayg is every gay role needs extra nsiratn – y, every sgle one. You won’t n out of fgers, I role, this potential for glory, should have been offered to a gay actor.

“You’re not gay so you n’t play the role” don’t cut at all, I’m aaid. Image the impact this stg uld've had on children, and their parents, if had been an actual gay or bisexual actor dog the promo trail and talkg about the role relatn to his own experience.

It’s a sad tth there are fewer gay rol, pecially fay movi like this, and havg gay actors play them n help normalise the gay experience to a guaranteed global dience.

A GAY CHARACTER SPARKS BATE AND A REFORMED TRAR SAM EMERG DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE'

It’s important to acknowledge the impact gay characters, and the people who play them, n have. They’re not like other rol; there is more hope and rponsibily attached to them, and this one particular is a have been plats the gay character The Jungle Cise is very mp and very funny.

This I don’t see as much of a problem – mp gay men exist, al wh .

But there is an angle here that a straight man actg out stereotypilly gay characteristics on screen while actual gay actors get turned down for rol for not beg butch enough or beg “too gay” – even for gay rol, by the way – is another sign of that’s why the stg of Whehall isn’t appropriate on this ocsn – not bee of him, or his actg skills, or his race, or any of the low-gra sults you want to pick out of the barrage of unnecsary abe he’s received over the last two days. They mt read the role, this chance, this potential for glory, all should have been offered to a gay actor. Jt enter your email addrs onto this newsletter sign-up page, and nsir read:Homophobia is still rife 2018 and LGBTQ+ people need your helpThe stealth homophobia that’s slowly poisong How to react to your child g out as gay.

JACK WHEHALL'S ROLE AS FIRST MAJOR GAY DISNEY CHARACTER SPARKS ROW

'Jack Whehall st by Disney as gay Jungle Cise - do matter he's straight? 'Disney has a history of dippg s to to queerns whout ever actually mtg to proper LGBTQ+ reprentatn - but will Jungle Cise change that, asks Liam GilliverVio LoadgVio UnavailableJungle Cise: Ey Blunt and Dwayne Johnson star trailerJack Whehall and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson beg gay together may have once been merely a dream - but now ’s a realy.

It do seem unfair, particularly nsirg there was a time where g out as gay was reer suici; where actors got told to keep their love life or partners “private” and nceal their sexualy if they wanted any chance of succs.

And I’m not talkg about way back the '50s, when Brock Hudson was tght how to -mp his voice, nstantly dodge speculatn he was gay, and get volved a beard marriage wh a female secretary. In 2019, Kristen Stewart - whose relatnship wh Twilight -star Robert Pattson very much helped her reer - spoke out about Hollywood’s homophobia.

JACK WHEHALL'S CASTG AS GAY CHARACTER IN DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE' SLAMMED

So, do that mean straight actors shouldn’t play gay characters? If you don’t allow straight actors to play gay - you’re enforcg a rather strict limatn to one’s sexualy. Joey Pollari, who has played multiple gay characters, also me out after Love, Simon buted - sayg he felt “clear parallels” between his own life and the character’s g out story.

“[They thought I’d be] gog around the untry and enuragg people to be homosexual, ” France said.