Disney's 'Lightyear' has a gay kiss, and is now banned or censored several untri | Fortune

Contents:

• SAME-SEX KISS RTORED PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ FOLLOWG STAFF UPROAR OVER ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL (EXCLUSIVE)
• DISNEY RTOR SAME-GENR ‘LIGHTYEAR’ KISS FOLLOWG “DON’T SAY GAY” BACKLASH
• CHRIS EVANS ON LIGHTYEAR’S SAME-SEX KISS AND TRYG TO SOUND LIKE TIM ALLENEVANS TAK OVER THE ROLE OF BUZZ LIGHTYEAR DISNEY-PIXAR’S NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURE.BY PL CHIJUNE 9, 2022BY MATT WKELMEYER/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVECHRIS EVANS HAS BEEN LLED FOR DUTY DISNEY-PIXAR’S NEW TOY STORY SP-OFF, LIGHTYEAR. THE ANIMATED MOVIE TELLS THE ORIG STORY OF THE HERO WHO SPIRED THE BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TOY, VOICED BY TIM ALLEN THE FOUR TOY STORY FILMS. MASTERG THE VOICE OF BUZZ, AND LIVERG HIS MOST FAMO LE—“TO FY AND BEYOND”—WAS AN “TIMIDATG” TASK FOR EVANS.“I ED TIM ALLEN AS A GUILE. HE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, AND I’D BE A FOOL NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK HE DID,” SAID EVANS AT THE FILM’S WORLD PREMIERE HOLLYWOOD ON WEDNDAY. “BUT I ULDN’T JT DO A SHAMELS IMPRSN. I HAD TO SOMEHOW CREATE MY OWN UNRSTANDG OF THE CHARACTER, AND TRY TO MAKE SOME H TRACKS THE SNOW WHILE PAYG HOMAGE TO THE GREAT WORK THAT HE DID. EVENTUALLY I FELT FORTABLE ENOUGH TO MAKE MY OWN TERPRETATN, AND PART OF THAT WAS LOWERG THE TONE OF MY VOICE. I BASILLY HAVE TO LOWER THE REGISTER OF MY VOICE EVERYTHG THAT I DO.”THE CHANGE ACTORS WAS A LIBERATE MOVE, MEANT TO SET A NTRAST BETWEEN BUZZ OM THE TOY STORY ANCHISE AND BUZZ OM LIGHTYEAR. “TIM’S VERSN OF BUZZ IS A LTLE GOOFIER AND IS A LTLE DUMBER, AND SO HE IS THE IC RELIEF. IN THIS FILM, BUZZ IS THE ACTN HERO. HE’S SER AND AMB AND FUNNY, BUT NOT A GOOFY WAY THAT WOULD UNRCUT THE DRAMA,” SAID DIRECTOR ANG MACLANE. “CHRIS EVANS HAS THE GRAVAS AND THAT MOVIE-STAR QUALY THAT OUR CHARACTER NEED TO SEPARATE HIM AND THE MOVIE OM TIM’S VERSN OF THE TOY TOY STORY.”LIGHTYEAR, THEATERS JUNE 17, BEGS WH A TLE RD TELLG THAT 1995, LTLE BOY ANDY GOT A TOY BUZZ: “IT WAS OM HIS FAVORE MOVIE. THIS IS THAT MOVIE.” THE NEW FILM FOC ON BUZZ AND HIS CREW TRYG TO MAKE BACK TO EARTH AFTER GETTG MAROONED ON A HOSTILE PLA WHILE BATTLG FOREIGN CREATUR AND FO, CLUDG BUZZ’S ARCHENEMY ZURG (VOICED BY JAM BROL).THE FILM ALSO FEATUR THE FIRST-EVER SAME-SEX KISS A PIXAR MOVIE, BETWEEN BUZZ’S LONGTIME MANR AND BT IEND, SPACE RANGER ALISHA HAWTHORNE (VOICED BY UZO ADUBA), AND HER WIFE. THE HISTORIL MOMENT HAPPENS DURG AN EMOTNAL MONTAGE WHERE THE DIENCE SE GLIMPS OF ALISHA AND HER PARTNER STARTG A FAY TOGETHER, AND AT ONE POT GREETG EACH OTHER WH A KISS ON THE LIPS.“IT’S CREDIBLE, AND A REAL HATS OFF TO DISNEY AND PIXAR FOR HAVG THAT KISS BE A PART OF THIS STORY,” SAID ADUBA. “THE KISS IS A GREETG AND A GTURE OF LOVE THAT IS TENR. IT DO TABLISH WHO THEY ARE AS PEOPLE, BUT IS NOT THE SGULAR INTIFIER FOR WHO EHER OF THEM ARE. SEEG A LOVG GAY UPLE A MEANGFUL WAY IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY.”THE KISS WAS IALLY CUT OM THE MOVIE, BUT RESTATED AFTER LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE AT PIXAR SPOKE OUT LAST MARCH AN OPEN LETTER CLAIMG THAT DISNEY RPORATE EXECUTIV HAD ACTIVELY CENSORED “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” S FILMS. REPORTS PREVLY REVEALED THAT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAD DONATED $190,000 SUPPORT OF FLORIDA REPUBLINS, WEEKS BEFORE DISNEY STARTED TO NMN THE STATE’S PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN BILL, WHICH FORBIDS DISCSNS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN FOR STUNTS KRGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRA.“IT’S GREAT THAT ’S BACK THE FILM,” SAID EVANS, WHO HAS AN OPENLY GAY BROTHER. “I THK ’S A SHAME THAT ’S SUCH A STORY. IT SHOULD BE MORE NORMALIZED, BUT I’M GLAD WE ARE MAKG THOSE STEPS.”PRODUCER GALYN SMAN SAID THE GAY UPLE LIGHTYEAR WAS NEVER MEANT TO MAKE HEADL. “IT’S IMPORTANT TO SHOW ALL OF THE WONRFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE AROUND AND REPRENT EVERYBODY, CLUDG SAME-SEX UPL, OUR FILM,” SAID SMAN, WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF PIXAR SCE 1990. “REPRENTATN IS HUGE FOR , AND WE WANT TO MAKE NNECTNS WH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. ALISHA AND HER WIFE HAVE A RELATNSHIP THAT LASTS AN ENTIRE LIFETIME. WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MOVI THAT SHOW RELATNSHIPS THAT LAST AN ENTIRE LIFE, AND THAT’S ASPIRATNAL.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYJOG BUZZ THIS NEW SPACE ODYSSEY IS SOX THE ROBOT T, VOICED BY PETER SOHN, THE DIRECTOR OF PIXAR’S THE GOOD DOSR. A HIDN GRAB BAG OF GIZMOS A CUTE PACKAGE, SOX STEALS THE SHOW AND SEEMS STED TO BE A FAN FAVORE.“SOX IS A ROBOT, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF R2-D2-STYLE ASPECTS TO HIM THAT WILL SURPRISE THE DIENCE,” SAID SOHN, WHO WAS SPIRED BY BRENT SPER’S PERFORMANCE AS DATA STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATN. “MY FAVORE TRICK IS WHEN SOX SURPRIS BUZZ BY TAKG DOWN A GUARD THAT’S ABOUT TO STOP THEM WH A DART G OUT OF HIS MOUTH. IT’S A REALLY CRAZY AND TENSE MOMENT, AND THIS LTLE GAG TOTALLY SHOCKED ME.”ANOTHER NEW CHARACTER IS IZZY HAWTHORNE (VOICED BY KEKE PALMER), AN EAGER AND SELF-MOTIVATED T DREAMG OF BEG A SPACE RANGER LIKE HER GRANDMOTHER, ALISHA. “DON’T LET LIFE PASS YOU BY [WHILE] CHASG OUTSI VALIDATN. THAT’S SUCH A HUGE MSAGE THIS MOVIE THAT MY CHARACTER HELPS ILLTRATE,” SAID PALMER. “IT REALLY RONAT TODAY, PECIALLY THIS SOCIAL MEDIA AGE WHERE WE ARE ALWAYS STRIVG FOR ATTENTN. DISNEY-PIXAR, THEY ALWAYS WRAP UP IMPORTANT MSAG A PACKAGE WHERE THE END, YOU’RE LIKE, WHY AM I CRYG? PEOPLE WILL FELY BE CRYG AT THE END OF THIS ONE.”THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)PL CHI
• SAME-SEX KISS IN TOY STORY'S LIGHTYEAR MOVIE RTORED AFTER STAFF UPROAR OVER "DON'T SAY GAY" BILL
• 'LIGHTYEAR' STAR CHRIS EVANS LLS CRICS OF DISNEY PIXAR'S GAY KISSG SCENE ‘IDTS’
• TOY STORY SP-OFF LIGHTYEAR ‘HAD SAME-SEX KISS CUT AND THEN RTORED BY DISNEY’ AFTER DON’T SAY GAY BACKLASH
• DISNEY WILL RTORE GAY KISS TO LIGHTYEAR FOLLOWG “DON’T SAY GAY” BACKLASH
• GAY KISS-INCLUD WOKE ‘TOY STORY’ SPOFF ‘LIGHTYEAR’ STGGL AT BOX OFFICE
• PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ RTOR SAME-SEX KISS AFTER BACKLASH OVER DISNEY’S RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL

SAME-SEX KISS RTORED PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ FOLLOWG STAFF UPROAR OVER ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL (EXCLUSIVE)

More:Disney CEO fally speaks out on 'Don't Say Gay.' But where's the gay Disney fairy tale?The film begs wh Buzz and fellow space ranger Alisha landg on a strange pla, where they face off agast wged aliens and an octop-like creature. The same-sex kiss first ma headl last month, when Pixar animators spoke out agast Disney an open letter obtaed by Variety, sayg that rporate executiv had mand cuts "om nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn." Acrdg to SlashFilm, "Lightyear" producer Galyn Sman nfirmed that Alisha's kiss was ially cut om the movie. But was later rtored light of Disney's "Don't Say Gay" ntroversy, when was revealed the pany had donated roughly $200,000 to Republin policians who supported the bill, which forbids discsns of sexual orient elementary school classrooms.

In recent years, the Moe Hoe has received blowback for s feeble attempts at LGBTQ+ reprentatn: a lbian p Pixar's "Onward" who briefly mentns her wife, and a lbian uple strollg outsi together "Fdg Dory."Other live-actn Disney films have relegated queer characters to the background, like a blk-and-you'll-miss- kiss between two women "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," or the "exclively gay moment" of Josh Gad's LeFou dancg wh another man "Bety and the Beast." "Beg able to put back the kiss was important to ," Sman told journalists at a Q&A panel for "Lightyear" earlier this month. Me unr fire for s ial silence regardg a Florida bill rtrictg classroom discsn of sexual orientatn and genr inty — dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by crics.

DISNEY RTOR SAME-GENR ‘LIGHTYEAR’ KISS FOLLOWG “DON’T SAY GAY” BACKLASH

Durg the tumult, Pixar employe lled out Disney executiv for cuttg “nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn” om the animatn stud’s films.

CHRIS EVANS ON LIGHTYEAR’S SAME-SEX KISS AND TRYG TO SOUND LIKE TIM ALLENEVANS TAK OVER THE ROLE OF BUZZ LIGHTYEAR DISNEY-PIXAR’S NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURE.BY PL CHIJUNE 9, 2022BY MATT WKELMEYER/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVECHRIS EVANS HAS BEEN LLED FOR DUTY DISNEY-PIXAR’S NEW TOY STORY SP-OFF, LIGHTYEAR. THE ANIMATED MOVIE TELLS THE ORIG STORY OF THE HERO WHO SPIRED THE BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TOY, VOICED BY TIM ALLEN THE FOUR TOY STORY FILMS. MASTERG THE VOICE OF BUZZ, AND LIVERG HIS MOST FAMO LE—“TO FY AND BEYOND”—WAS AN “TIMIDATG” TASK FOR EVANS.“I ED TIM ALLEN AS A GUILE. HE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, AND I’D BE A FOOL NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK HE DID,” SAID EVANS AT THE FILM’S WORLD PREMIERE HOLLYWOOD ON WEDNDAY. “BUT I ULDN’T JT DO A SHAMELS IMPRSN. I HAD TO SOMEHOW CREATE MY OWN UNRSTANDG OF THE CHARACTER, AND TRY TO MAKE SOME H TRACKS THE SNOW WHILE PAYG HOMAGE TO THE GREAT WORK THAT HE DID. EVENTUALLY I FELT FORTABLE ENOUGH TO MAKE MY OWN TERPRETATN, AND PART OF THAT WAS LOWERG THE TONE OF MY VOICE. I BASILLY HAVE TO LOWER THE REGISTER OF MY VOICE EVERYTHG THAT I DO.”THE CHANGE ACTORS WAS A LIBERATE MOVE, MEANT TO SET A NTRAST BETWEEN BUZZ OM THE TOY STORY ANCHISE AND BUZZ OM LIGHTYEAR. “TIM’S VERSN OF BUZZ IS A LTLE GOOFIER AND IS A LTLE DUMBER, AND SO HE IS THE IC RELIEF. IN THIS FILM, BUZZ IS THE ACTN HERO. HE’S SER AND AMB AND FUNNY, BUT NOT A GOOFY WAY THAT WOULD UNRCUT THE DRAMA,” SAID DIRECTOR ANG MACLANE. “CHRIS EVANS HAS THE GRAVAS AND THAT MOVIE-STAR QUALY THAT OUR CHARACTER NEED TO SEPARATE HIM AND THE MOVIE OM TIM’S VERSN OF THE TOY TOY STORY.”LIGHTYEAR, THEATERS JUNE 17, BEGS WH A TLE RD TELLG THAT 1995, LTLE BOY ANDY GOT A TOY BUZZ: “IT WAS OM HIS FAVORE MOVIE. THIS IS THAT MOVIE.” THE NEW FILM FOC ON BUZZ AND HIS CREW TRYG TO MAKE BACK TO EARTH AFTER GETTG MAROONED ON A HOSTILE PLA WHILE BATTLG FOREIGN CREATUR AND FO, CLUDG BUZZ’S ARCHENEMY ZURG (VOICED BY JAM BROL).THE FILM ALSO FEATUR THE FIRST-EVER SAME-SEX KISS A PIXAR MOVIE, BETWEEN BUZZ’S LONGTIME MANR AND BT IEND, SPACE RANGER ALISHA HAWTHORNE (VOICED BY UZO ADUBA), AND HER WIFE. THE HISTORIL MOMENT HAPPENS DURG AN EMOTNAL MONTAGE WHERE THE DIENCE SE GLIMPS OF ALISHA AND HER PARTNER STARTG A FAY TOGETHER, AND AT ONE POT GREETG EACH OTHER WH A KISS ON THE LIPS.“IT’S CREDIBLE, AND A REAL HATS OFF TO DISNEY AND PIXAR FOR HAVG THAT KISS BE A PART OF THIS STORY,” SAID ADUBA. “THE KISS IS A GREETG AND A GTURE OF LOVE THAT IS TENR. IT DO TABLISH WHO THEY ARE AS PEOPLE, BUT IS NOT THE SGULAR INTIFIER FOR WHO EHER OF THEM ARE. SEEG A LOVG GAY UPLE A MEANGFUL WAY IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY.”THE KISS WAS IALLY CUT OM THE MOVIE, BUT RESTATED AFTER LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE AT PIXAR SPOKE OUT LAST MARCH AN OPEN LETTER CLAIMG THAT DISNEY RPORATE EXECUTIV HAD ACTIVELY CENSORED “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” S FILMS. REPORTS PREVLY REVEALED THAT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAD DONATED $190,000 SUPPORT OF FLORIDA REPUBLINS, WEEKS BEFORE DISNEY STARTED TO NMN THE STATE’S PARENTAL RIGHTS EDUTN BILL, WHICH FORBIDS DISCSNS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATN FOR STUNTS KRGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRA.“IT’S GREAT THAT ’S BACK THE FILM,” SAID EVANS, WHO HAS AN OPENLY GAY BROTHER. “I THK ’S A SHAME THAT ’S SUCH A STORY. IT SHOULD BE MORE NORMALIZED, BUT I’M GLAD WE ARE MAKG THOSE STEPS.”PRODUCER GALYN SMAN SAID THE GAY UPLE LIGHTYEAR WAS NEVER MEANT TO MAKE HEADL. “IT’S IMPORTANT TO SHOW ALL OF THE WONRFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE AROUND AND REPRENT EVERYBODY, CLUDG SAME-SEX UPL, OUR FILM,” SAID SMAN, WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF PIXAR SCE 1990. “REPRENTATN IS HUGE FOR , AND WE WANT TO MAKE NNECTNS WH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. ALISHA AND HER WIFE HAVE A RELATNSHIP THAT LASTS AN ENTIRE LIFETIME. WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MOVI THAT SHOW RELATNSHIPS THAT LAST AN ENTIRE LIFE, AND THAT’S ASPIRATNAL.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYJOG BUZZ THIS NEW SPACE ODYSSEY IS SOX THE ROBOT T, VOICED BY PETER SOHN, THE DIRECTOR OF PIXAR’S THE GOOD DOSR. A HIDN GRAB BAG OF GIZMOS A CUTE PACKAGE, SOX STEALS THE SHOW AND SEEMS STED TO BE A FAN FAVORE.“SOX IS A ROBOT, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF R2-D2-STYLE ASPECTS TO HIM THAT WILL SURPRISE THE DIENCE,” SAID SOHN, WHO WAS SPIRED BY BRENT SPER’S PERFORMANCE AS DATA STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATN. “MY FAVORE TRICK IS WHEN SOX SURPRIS BUZZ BY TAKG DOWN A GUARD THAT’S ABOUT TO STOP THEM WH A DART G OUT OF HIS MOUTH. IT’S A REALLY CRAZY AND TENSE MOMENT, AND THIS LTLE GAG TOTALLY SHOCKED ME.”ANOTHER NEW CHARACTER IS IZZY HAWTHORNE (VOICED BY KEKE PALMER), AN EAGER AND SELF-MOTIVATED T DREAMG OF BEG A SPACE RANGER LIKE HER GRANDMOTHER, ALISHA. “DON’T LET LIFE PASS YOU BY [WHILE] CHASG OUTSI VALIDATN. THAT’S SUCH A HUGE MSAGE THIS MOVIE THAT MY CHARACTER HELPS ILLTRATE,” SAID PALMER. “IT REALLY RONAT TODAY, PECIALLY THIS SOCIAL MEDIA AGE WHERE WE ARE ALWAYS STRIVG FOR ATTENTN. DISNEY-PIXAR, THEY ALWAYS WRAP UP IMPORTANT MSAG A PACKAGE WHERE THE END, YOU’RE LIKE, WHY AM I CRYG? PEOPLE WILL FELY BE CRYG AT THE END OF THIS ONE.”THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)PL CHI

On March 9, LGBTQ employe and alli at Pixar Animatn Studs sent a jot statement to Walt Disney Company learship claimg that Disney executiv had actively censored “overtly gay affectn” s feature films. The stunng allegatn — ma as part of a larger prott over the pany’s lack of public rponse to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill — did not clu which Pixar films had weathered the censorship, nor which specific creative cisns were cut or altered.

SAME-SEX KISS IN TOY STORY'S LIGHTYEAR MOVIE RTORED AFTER STAFF UPROAR OVER "DON'T SAY GAY" BILL

Followg the uproar surroundg the Pixar employe’ statement and Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s handlg of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, however, the kiss was restated to the movie last week. The most overtly LGBTQ project Pixar’s non is a 2020 short film, “Out, ” about a gay man stgglg wh g out to his parents — which the stud released on Disney Pl as part of s SparkShorts program.

“Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar, ” the statement says.

Followg a year marked by turmoil wh s LGBTQ+ fan base and employe, Disney is releasg s first-ever movie that shows a gay kiss. Lightyear is not the first Disney film to be censored other untri for s pictn of gay characters.

'LIGHTYEAR' STAR CHRIS EVANS LLS CRICS OF DISNEY PIXAR'S GAY KISSG SCENE ‘IDTS’

After ially refg to ment on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the pany faced a wave of cricism om employe and nsumers. “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar, ” their letter read. Beyond qutng s public stance, fans and employe also cricized Disney for donatg to Florida policians who supported the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Followg the ternal backlash around Disney’s prev public silence on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the cisn was ma last week to add the kiss back . “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar. Lu is another notable Pixar film that has had many discsns around s possible LGBTQ reprentatn, wh director Enri Casarosa statg that the team nsirg makg the leads gay, but cid to stead foc on the relatnship as a “pre-romance, ” after basg on a personal iendship dynamic when he was growg up.

The move followed a a strongly-word letter to Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek om Pixar's LGBTQIA+ employe and their alli sent objectg to his cisn not to ph back more forcefully agast Florida's ntroversial "Don't Say Gay" bill. Acrdg to Variety, the film has been banned the Gulf natns of Sdi Arabia, the Uned Arab Emirat and Kuwa, where homosexual nduct is still illegal. Seeg a lovg gay uple a meangful way is important for everybody.

TOY STORY SP-OFF LIGHTYEAR ‘HAD SAME-SEX KISS CUT AND THEN RTORED BY DISNEY’ AFTER DON’T SAY GAY BACKLASH

”The kiss was ially cut om the movie, but restated after LGBTQ+ employe at Pixar spoke out last March an open letter claimg that Disney rporate executiv had actively censored “overtly gay affectn” s films. “It’s great that ’s back the film, ” said Evans, who has an openly gay brother.

DISNEY WILL RTORE GAY KISS TO LIGHTYEAR FOLLOWG “DON’T SAY GAY” BACKLASH

”Producer Galyn Sman said the gay uple Lightyear was never meant to make headl.

However, as Disney has faced creasg phback, scty, and cricism for s rponse to Florida's jt-passed Parental Rights Edutn Bill--wily known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill--the Lightyear edg cisn has been reversed an apparent urse rrectn.

GAY KISS-INCLUD WOKE ‘TOY STORY’ SPOFF ‘LIGHTYEAR’ STGGL AT BOX OFFICE

Pixar’s “Toy Story” prequel “Lightyear” has rtored a prevly cut same-sex kiss after backlash om employe ncerned Disney’s handlg of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislatn, acrdg to a Friday report. Disney staffers had recently objected to CEO Bob Chapek’s handlg of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, wh the entertament giant at first remag silent on the ntroversial legislatn.

Employe said that Disney actively censored “overtly gay affectn” s feature films, Variety reported last week. Homosexualy is nsired crimal many Middle Eastern untri. But she said filmmakers would not make chang to the has rejected other on-screen pictns of homosexualy the past.

"Lightyear" actor Chris Evans, who plays the tular role Walt Disney’s new Pixar movie, has rpond to crics who say the film’s kissg scene between two female characters ph a pro-gay agenda.

PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ RTOR SAME-SEX KISS AFTER BACKLASH OVER DISNEY’S RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL

(Getty Imag)"Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the Amerin story, the human story is one of nstant social awakeng and growth and that’s what mak good, " Evans 'S SHORT FILM ‘OUT’ FEATURES FIRST GAY MAIN CHARACTERThe ment as some crics of the film have argued the cisn to clu LGBTQ reprentatn and a scene wh a gay married uple kissg a film marketed to children was on-screen kiss tak place between Hawthorne, a female lead voiced by Uzo Aduba, and another female, PIXAR'S 'LIGHTYEAR' SEES SAME-SEX KISS RESTORED AMID CONTROVERSY WITH QUEER CHARACTER: REPORTIt was reportedly removed om the film earlier this year, amid ntroversy over Disney’s quietns over Florida’s "Don’t Say Gay" bill that barred nversatns about LGBTQ inty K-12 classrooms, Variety reported March of this year, cg "a source close to the productn. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERIt will not be shown the Uned Arab Emirat or Malaysia, due to the on-screen gay kiss. Backlash ntu over Disney's rporate rponse to the "Don't Say Gay" bill Florida.