‘Bety and the Beast’: Disney’s First-Ever Gay Character Is LeFou, Voiced by Josh Gad – The Hollywood Reporter

gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017

The film's director has nfirmed that LeFou is gay, although the brief scene qutn only shows him dancg wh another man

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'BETY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHG

Bill Condon said that the manservant LeFou, played by Josh Gad, has a “nice, exclively gay moment” the Disney film. Commence ter meltdown. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

They're not talkg about the overall film, which is gettg great reviews (three out of four stars om USA TODAY) and breakg box office rerds wh a $170 ln but, the hight ever for March and the seventh-hight of all unrwhelmed reactn has been to the so-lled "exclively gay moment" the film, which has ed ternatnal ntroversy sce director Bill Condon first mentned an terview wh Attu the terview, Condon said the character LeFou (Josh Gad) would be portrayed as gay. The "gay moment" that Condon was referrg to is a blk-and-you'll-miss- shot the film's fal sends.

"If nobody had said that #LeFou had a 'gay moment'  #BetyAndTheBeast, I really don't thk would've even been a thg, " wrote one Twter er. "Watched the new #BetyAndTheBeast movie last night, hontly don't unrstand what the outrage (about) there beg a gay character was (about), " wrote another.

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ DIRECTOR TALKS OF ‘EXCLIVELY GAY’ MOMENT

Disney will feature s first gay scene when a character is seen stgglg wh his sexualy the live-actn remake of Bety and the Beast, acrdg to the films director. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

"Bt part of my day was when half the theater clapped and cheered when the gay uple me on screen #BetyAndTheBeast, " reported one dience who supported the film appld how much money was able rack spe reported "boytts.

PLEASE CHILL OUT ABOUT THE ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ GAY SCENE

* gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

"Though the moment was well-received or unrwhelmg to many dience members, there were some the LGBT muny who thought the reprentatn of a gay character did not go far enough.

Also LeFou is not gay enough, " one Twter er sentiment was shared by some LGBT crics and wrers. "Disney n pat self on s back all wants for turng a villao buffoon that was d as gay the origal film to a morally ambiguo buffoon who is more obvly gay, nfis a teapot, and tri out dancg wh a man, " wrote Vulture.

"Although I adored the movie overall, part of my tratn wh is that I had hoped for more out of Condon’s 'exclively gay moment, '" The Huffgton Post explaed. Movi|‘Bety and the Beast’ Director Talks of ‘Exclively Gay’ Moment ADVERTISEMENTCred... But what about a gay LeFou?

BETY AND THE BEAST GAY SCENE: WHY WAS WRTEN IN?

"Bety and the Beast" has been pulled om release Malaysia, though the untry's censors approved the film after cuttg a gay scene. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

And so seems to have tiptoed toward open homosexualy s new live-actn versn of “Bety and the Beast. ”Bill Condon, who directed the film, and is openly gay, told the Brish magaze Attu that the manservant LeFou, played by Josh Gad, has “a nice, exclively gay moment” the movie, which has s premiere here on Thursday and arriv theaters the Uned Stat on March Condon ntued: “LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston. ” The Daily Dot, whout havg seen the movie, stomped s foot, sayg that a gay LeFou was “hardly a high pot for posive L.

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ OPENS STRONG CHA WH ‘GAY MOMENT’ INTACT

The "nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie" is a ditn to the animated film's late lyricist Howard Ashman. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

Condon’s word choice — “exclively” gay? Gad is not gay.

LeFou sure seemed to have a csh on Gaston Disney’s 1991 animated versn of “Bety and the Beast, ” ntug a tradn of Disney sikicks that seem to be gay whout statg . A versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn C, Page 3 of the New York edn wh the headle: ‘Bety and the Beast’ to Have ‘Gay Moment’. Instead, people have fixated on a blk-and-you-miss- sequence of gayns toward the end of the film.

Le grand as began when director Bill Condon misguidly promised a “nice, exclively gay moment” his live-actn remake. A Screen Rant story said: “Why Disney’s First Gay Character Matters.

BETY AND THE BEAST: DISNEY REF TO CUT GAY SCENE FOR MALAYSIAN RELEASE

The stud is standg behd the creative choice to feature a gay character. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

” Meanwhile, an Inquistr piece explaed “Why ‘Bety And The Beast’ Gay Scene Don’t Matter. But that has nothg to do wh a barely-there, old-school, implicly gay scene; ’s bee ’s Disney’s Bety and the Freak’ Beast. Instead, nsir that one month ago, “Moonlight, ” a film featurg assuredly gay characters alg wh real-life stggl, won the Amy Award for Bt Picture — the first gay movie to ever do so.

Prcs always meet their prce charmg Disney movi, but Bety at the Beast, one gay male character is hopg to meet his as well. In a major change of nventn, one character the new live actn versn is set to have the stud’s first "exclively gay scene.

DISNEY BREAKS NEW GROUND WH GAY SCENE 'BETY AND THE BEAST'

"Bety and the Beast" star Josh Gad has doubled down on his ments on the "gay moment" ntroversy, which led theaters to ban the film. * gay scene in beauty and the beast 2017 *

"It is a nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie. "This is a msage that will be heard every untry, even untri where ’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay. Disney’s “Bety and the Beast, ” which has ffled feathers some nservative untri bee of a “gay moment” the film, opened Friday Cha uncut and on top of the box office.

The brief “gay moment” (as director Bill Condon lls ) volvg the character Le Fou at the end of the movie left Cha’s sometim tty censors unfltered.

“Controversial gay moment kept Disney’s #BetyAndTheBeast. Controversial gay moment kept Disney's #BetyAndTheBeast.

DISNEY TO FEATURE FIRST GAY SCENE 'BETY AND THE BEAST'

Disney says will not cut a gay scene om Bety and the Beast for release Malaysia, spe a requt om live-actn film, which stars Emma Watson, had been schled to open cemas Malaysia on Thursday, but Disney fely postponed the film’s release earlier this week after the untry’s Film Censorship Board said would only be approved if the scene was cut. Homosexual activy remas illegal Malaysia, and homosexual characters n only be picted on screen if they show repentance or are portrayed negatively.

“We have approved but there is a mor cut volvg a gay moment. The film featur an “exclively gay moment”, where LeFou danc wh another scene has already attracted ntroversy. By Anna Pujol-MazziLONDON, March 2 (Thomson Rters Foundatn) — Disney will feature s first gay scene when a character is seen stgglg wh his sexualy the live-actn remake of “Bety and the Beast, ” acrdg to the film's film's stars will be heterosexual — Brish actors Emma Watson and Dan Stevens play the tle rol — and manservant LeFou, sikick to the film's macho ma man Gaston, will grapple wh his own More: Fewer Teens Tried to Take Their Liv Once Gay Marriage Was Legal"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, " director Bill Condon told gay magaze Attu an terview published on Wednday.

CONTROVERSY EPTS OVER GAY SCENE 'BETY AND THE BEAST' AS THEATER DROPS FILM

It is a nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie, " he told the Brish More: Powerful KissCam Ad Is Like No Other KissCam You’ve Seen BeforeAttu edor--chief Matt Ca said was an important step toward fair reprentatn of LGBT people the media. "By reprentg same-sex attractn this short but explicly gay scene, the stud is sendg out a msage that this is normal and natural — and this is a msage that will be heard every untry of the world, even untri where 's still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay, " he More: Stars Speak Out Agast Anti-LGBTQ Bills Texas“Bety and the Beast” tells the story of a prce who is transformed to a beast, and a young woman who is imprisoned his stle, as he tri to w her love.

LONDON – Disney will feature s first gay scene when a character is seen stgglg wh his sexualy the live-actn remake of 'Bety and the Beast', acrdg to the film's film's stars will be heterosexual — Brish actors Emma Watson and Dan Stevens play the tle rol — and manservant LeFou, sikick to the film's macho ma man Gaston, will grapple wh his own sexualy.

'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, " director Bill Condon told gay magaze Attu an terview published on Wednday. The highly anticipated live-actn remake of “Bety and the Beast” will feature a gay character for the first time Disney's history, acrdg to the film’s director. Director Bill Condon said an terview wh Attu, a Brish gay magaze, that LeFou, the goofy sikick of the film’s ma villa, Gaston, will fd his own subplot by explorg his sexualy.

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ PULLED FROM MALAYSIA RELEASE AFTER ‘GAY MOMENT’ IS CUT

” Condon promised the film will have a “nice, exclively gay moment” at the the LGBTQ have been advotg to see themselv reprented Disney films.

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’: JOSH GAD PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER

Those g were advotg for givg the lead character Disney’s blockbter h “Frozen” a female love tert the news of LeFou beg Disney’s first gay character, however, was met wh mixed reactns. Disney’s “Bety and the Beast” has been pulled om release Malaysia, even though the untry’s official censors approved the release after cuttg a well-publicized “gay moment” om the film.

“We have approved [the movie], but there is a mor cut volvg a gay moment. Gay sex is still punishable by law, cludg imprisonment, socially nservative Malaysia.

Gay characters are allowed to be shown movi, but only if they are portrayed negatively or as repentant. The cln of a gay character “Bety and the Beast” has also ed a stir Rsia, which has slapped a 16+ ratg on the movie, rtrictg viewg to moviegoers aged 16 and up.

DISNEY WON'T CENSOR BETY AND THE BEAST GAY SCEN FOR MALAYSIA

It’s certa as the sun — Josh Gad’s character Bety and the Beast is gay.

But is a nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie. Dpe Malaysia's nservative social and polil views regardg homosexualy, EW has nfirmed Disney will not cut the film for s planned release the majory-Mlim natn, and that scen featurg the stud's first openly gay character will rema the fal versn of the Bill Condon-directed fantasy. Early Tuday, the Associated Prs reported that Bety and the Beast's Malaysian theatril n had been shelved by Disney after film censors agreed to screen the film whout a particular "gay moment.

MALAYSIA TO SHOW ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ WH GAY SCENE, EXHIBORS SAY

" "We have approved [Bety and the Beast] but there is a mor cut volvg a gay moment, " Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, the Film Censorship Board chairman, told the AP. " BBC Newsaddnally reported that both secular and relig laws currently prohib homosexualy the Southeast Asian natn, though pictns of gay people are allowed media only if the portrayal is negative. Gay people are subject to prison sentenc or rporal punishment the terrory, which is erned via nstutnal monarchy.

A 2015 study published by Human Right Watch dit "discrimatn agast lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people is pervasive Malaysia, " while specifilly cg transgenr cizens' stggl wh "arbrary arrt, physil and sexual asslt, imprisonment, discrimatory nial of health re and employment, and other ab. " Josh Gad, the actor behd the gay character qutn, recently told PEOPLE the cln of LeFou's sexualy stands to teach dienc an important lson about acceptance. Asia Pacific|Malaysia to Show ‘Bety and the Beast’ Wh Gay Scene, Exhibors Say Rasfan/Agence France-Prse — Getty ImagMarch 21, 2017BANGKOK — The film “Bety and the Beast” will open next week Malaysia spe earlier objectns om the untry’s Film Censorship Board over a brief scene scribed as an “exclively gay moment, ” two major cema pani said Disney Studs had refed to cut the scene to appease Malaysian censors.

”“You don’t ban a film bee of a gay character, ” he said, acrdg to The Malay Mail.

DISNEY WON’T CUT GAY BETY AND THE BEAST SCENE FOR MALAYSIA’S CENSORSTHE STUD IS STANDG BEHD THE CREATIVE CHOICE TO FEATURE A GAY CHARACTER.BY YOHANA DTAMARCH 16, 2017COURTY OF WALT DISNEY PICTUR.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBILL CONDON PROBABLY NEVER SAW THIS G. BEFORE THE RELEASE OF BETY AND THE BEAST, THE DIRECTOR REVEALED THAT THE LIVE-ACTN FILM WOULD FEATURE AN “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT” FEATURG LEFOU (PLAYED BY JOSH GAD), THE OBSSIVE SIKICK TO THE OSTENTAT GASTON (LE EVANS). HIS MENT HAS SCE KICKED UP A WORLD OF TRIGUE AND NTROVERSY, AND HAS SPIRED DISNEY TO DIG S HEELS ABOUT THE CISN. THE STUD HAS CID TO LAY THE FILM'S RELEASE MALAYSIA, DUE TO THE UNTRY’S STRICT CENSOR BOARD AND LAWS AGAST HOMOSEXUALY. ORIGALLY, THE FILM WAS GOG TO AIR WH THE GAY “MOMENT” EDED OUT—BUT DISNEY IS NOW REFG TO CUT THE SCENE ALTOGETHER, ACRDG TO THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.“THE STUD SAYS THAT THE MOVIE WILL NOT BE ALTERED, BUT WILL STEAD MOVE THE RELEASE DATE TO MARCH 30, TO ALLOW MORE TIME FOR MALAYSIA’S CENSOR BOARD TO MAKE A CISN ON WHETHER OR NOT TO RELEASE BETY AND THE BEAST WHOUT CHANG,” T.H.R. SAYS.THE FILM WAS PREVLY APPROVED BY MALAYSIA’S CENSOR BOARD, PROVID THE SCENE— WHICH GAD DANC WH ANOTHER MAN—WAS CUT OUT. “WE HAVE APPROVED , BUT THERE IS A MOR CUT VOLVG A GAY MOMENT,” FILM CENSORSHIP BOARD CHAIRMAN ABDUL HALIM TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRS. “IT IS ONLY ONE SHORT SCENE, BUT IS APPROPRIATE BEE MANY CHILDREN WILL BE WATCHG THIS MOVIE."DISNEY’S CISN SENDS A SHARP MSAGE TO OTHERS NSIRG BOYTTG OR EDG THE FILM. A THEATER ALABAMA RECENTLY CID AGAST SCREENG BEE OF THAT "GAY MOMENT.”“IF WE N NOT TAKE OUR 11-YEAR-OLD GRAND DGHTER AND 8-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON TO SEE A MOVIE, WE HAVE NO BS WATCHG . IF I N’T S THROUGH A MOVIE WH GOD OR J STG BY ME THEN WE HAVE NO BS SHOWG ,” THE OWNERS OF THE HENGAR DRIVE-IN THEATER WROTE A NOW-LETED FACEBOOK POST.IN ADDN, RSIA WAS MULLG OVER A BAN ON BETY AND THE BEAST BUT HAS SCE CID TO JT CHANGE THE FILM’S RATG. NOW, ONLY PEOPLE 16 OR OLR N SEE THEATERS.THE HIGH-PROFILE BANS WON’T SEEM TO HURT DISNEY’S BOTTOM LE. BETY AND THE BEAST IS POISED FOR A MASSIVE $215 LN TO $245 LN WORLDWI OPENG, ACRDG TO DEADLE.IT’S ALSO ENJOYG S TIME THE CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT. LATE-NIGHT HOST JAM CORN HAD A LTLE FUN WH THE MIL WEDNDAY NIGHT, BRGG STARS JOSH GAD, LE EVANS, AND DAN STEVENS (WHO PLAYS THE BEAST) TO DO A VIRAL-READY PARODY OF BETY AND THE BEAST. THE STARS PUT TOGETHER AN IMPROMPTU OUTDOOR VERSN OF THE FILM, PERFORMG FAMO SONGS LIKE “BE OUR GUT” THE MIDDLE OF A BY LOS ANGEL CROSSWALK. CORN, NATURALLY, PLAYED BELLE EMMA WATSON’S ABSENCE—WHICH IS SOMETHG MALAYSIA WOULD PROBABLY CENSOR TOO.THE VANY FAIR COVER SHOOT: EMMA WATSON, REBEL BELLE1 / 11CHEVRONCHEVRONPHOTOGRAPH BY TIM WALKER. STYLED BY JSI DIEHL.WATSON WEARS A GOWN BY GUCCI. MOL JORDAN ROBSON WEARS A RSET OM ANGELS COSTUM; PANTS BY ARIAT.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRACHEL LEVISS SEEMGLY QUS VANRPUMP RUL WH HELP FROM BETHENNY FRANKELBY SAVANNAH WALSHPRCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S HEART OF INVICT NETFLIX DOC GETS A TRAILER AND RELEASE DATEBY KASE WICKMANYOHANA DTA

“All the years even whout the gay character the ‘Bety and the Beast, ’ there are also gays the world.

”The censorship board had led that a shot volvg two male characters dancg a ballroom mt be cut om the movie, on the ground that promoted homosexualy. Before the release of Bety and the Beast, the director revealed that the live-actn film would feature an “exclively gay moment” featurg LeFou (played by Josh Gad), the obssive sikick to the ostentat Gaston (Le Evans). The stud has cid to lay the film's release Malaysia, due to the untry’s strict censor board and laws agast homosexualy.

LEFOU EMBRAC LE FEY: DISNEY GO GAY IN ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’

Origally, the film was gog to air wh the gay “moment” eded out—but Disney is now refg to cut the scene altogether, acrdg to The Hollywood Reporter. “We have approved , but there is a mor cut volvg a gay moment, ” Film Censorship Board chairman Abdul Halim told the Associated Prs. A theater Alabama recently cid agast screeng bee of that "gay moment.

JOSH GAD RPONDS TO CONTROVERSY OVER ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’S’ GAY MOMENT

Not exactly the image wh which gay men like to be associated.

BETY AND THE BEAST GAY SCENE BACKLASH OM SGAPORE TO MALAYSIA AND HONG KONG

There is a pattern wh all of the d “gay” characters, all of whom uld be scribed ntemporary terms as genr non-nformg: They’re all villas. In an terview wh Bra’s Attu Magaze, Condon revealed that he will make his mark on the Disney legacy by allowg years of subtext to fally e to the surface, prentg the first “nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie, ” the director said. READ MORE: Cate Blanchett Remds You Why She’s A Gay In Wh Powerhoe Drag Bar Lip Sync — Watch.

Condon, who unts Sir Ian McKellen as a good iend, is openly gay. Even if the moment wreaks of tokenism, is still a historic tone for Disney to regnize a gay character out loud.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY SCENE IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 2017

Disney Won’t Cut Gay Bety and the Beast Scene for Malaysia’s Censors | Vany Fair .

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