Tim Ferle on Disney's 'Better Nate Than Ever,' 'Don't Say Gay' Bills - Variety

Contents:

• 'BETTER NATE THAN EVER' GIV GAY KIDS WHO LOVE BROADWAY A CHANCE TO FEEL SEEN
• BETTER NATE THAN EVER BOASTS LGBTQ REPRENTATN - BUT DISNEY STILL WON’T SAY GAY
• DISNEY RELEAS ITS GAYT KIDS’ MOVIE YET—AT THE CRAZIT TIMETHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDDISNEYDAYS AFTER FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL OFFICIALLY BEME LAW, THE GLORLY QUEER-POSIVE “BETTER NATE THAN EVER” HS DISNEY+. HOW DO WE SQUARE THOSE TWO THGS?KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED APR. 01, 2022 5:00AM EDT I DON’T WANT TO SHOCK ANYONE, BUT I WAS REALLY TO MIL THEATER AS A KID. I’LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO PROCS THIS EARTH-SHATTERG RMATN.BEG A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WOULD STAGE ONE-MAN PRODUCTNS OF GREASE HIS BEDROOM, BELT “ALAI’S LAMENT” OM GUYS AND DOLLS THE SHOWER, AND WAS OFF-BOOK FOR YEARS SHOULD HE BE ASKED A PCH TO STEP AND PERFORM THE ROLE OF ANNA LEONOWENS A PRODUCTN OF THE KG AND I, WAS A JOYO THG. NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY HOW ULD NOT BE? HAVE YOU SEEN A MIL? PEOPLE MAKE FUNNY JOK, DO A LTLE DANCE, FALL LOVE, AND NSTANTLY BURST TO SONG THE MIDDLE OF ALL. WHAT A GLOR PE!ESPE IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS, TOO, BEE BEG A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY OBSSED WH MILS WAS ALSO A VERY ISOLATG THG—SOMETHG REPRSED AND KEPT SECRET. TO NOT WOULD MEAN SNICKERG. AND WHISPERG. AND THE WORST THG OF ALL: NOT BEG “NORMAL” LIKE THE OTHER GUYS. LISTEN, I’M NOT BREAKG ANY NEWS HERE ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE TO GROW UP NOT EVEN CLOSETED, BUT QUTNG OR UNSURE OF YOUR SEXUALY [YEAR REDACTED]. THIS ISN’T THE UNIQUE, HEARTBREAKG SAGA OF ONE YOUNG MAN NAMED KEV. MILLNS OF KIDS WENT THROUGH THIS, AND MANY OF WORKED THROUGH AND HAVE SCE THRIVED. WE ALL REMEMBER THAT WHOLE “IT GETS BETTER,” I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SCRIBE … MPAIGN? MOVEMENT? DELN?THAT LATTER SCRIPTN HAS BEEN ON MY MD LATELY.ALL THE FEELGS AND MEMORI WERE DUG UP THIS WEEK BEE I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE NEW DISNEY+ FILM BETTER NATE THAN EVER, WHICH JT MAY BE THE MOST GAY-POSIVE AND ENURAGG YOUTH PROGRAMMG THAT DISNEY HAS EVER RELEASED. AND IS G OUT AT THE MOST BIZARRE TIME. CONSIRG EVERYTHG THAT’S BEEN THE NEWS ABOUT DISNEY, FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AND THE DISTURBG LATN OF UNAPOLOGETILLY ANTI-LGBTQ+ RHETORIC DISSEMATED BY GOP POLICIANS, ULD BE ARGUED THAT ’S THE BT TIME FOR A MOVIE LIKE THIS TO E OUT. IT’S CERTALY THE STRANGT.THE FILM, THE MOST BETIFUL SIGN OF PROGRS AND THE GREATT PLIMENT I N GIVE, IS SOMETHG I SPERATELY WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS GROWG UP. IT’S A LOVE LETTER TO KIDS—TO THEATER KIDS, AND MOST SPECIFILLY THEATER KIDS WHO WERE MA TO FEEL SHY OR ASHAMED ABOUT WHO THEY WERE AND HOW THEY ACTED, AND WHO PROBABLY, ALMOST 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME, GREW UP TO BE GAY. ADVERTISEMENT TIM FERLE, WHO WROTE AND DIRECTED BETTER NATE THAN EVER BASED ON HIS NATE BOOK SERI, IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, EVEN MAKG A PSTOP AS A BROADWAY PERFORMER ON HIS WAY TO MAKG TV AND MOVI. (HE’S ALSO BEHD THE POPULAR—AND SIARLY QUEER-ACCEPTG—HIGH SCHOOL MIL: THE MIL: THE SERI.)NATE (RUEBY WOOD) IS A 13-YEAR-OLD SUBURBAN KID WHO LIV AND BREATH MILS; ’S BARELY MUT TO THE FILM THAT THE 2004 TONY AWARDS BATTLE BETWEEN AVENUE Q AND WICKED IS REFERENCED, WHILE HE SCRIB HIS MOM’S RELATNSHIP TO HIS NT AS HAVG “ANTAGONISTIC GLDA VS. ELPHABA ACT ONE ENERGY.” “THE FILM, THE MOST BETIFUL SIGN OF PROGRS AND THE GREATT PLIMENT I N GIVE, IS SOMETHG I SPERATELY WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS GROWG UP.” HE IS VASTATED WHEN HE DON’T LAND THE LEAD ROLE HIS SCHOOL’S PRODUCTN OF LLN: THE UNTHORIZED ROCK MIL. TO CHEER HIM UP, HIS BT IEND, ARIA BROOKS’ LIBBY, PLANS A NAWAY B TRIP FOR THE TWO OF THEM TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE AN OPEN LL DN IS HAPPENG FOR A NEW LILO & STCH PRODUCTN.HIJKS ENSUE, AS THEY DO WHEN 13-YEAR-OLDS WH NO CHAPERON N LOOSE THROUGH NEW YORK. IN THIS SE, MANY OF THEM ARE DAYDREAM SEQUENC VOLVG LARGE-SLE MIL PRODUCTN NUMBERS. THEY N TO NATE’S NT, A STGGLG ACTRS PLAYED BY LISA KUDROW WHO HAS BEEN OSTRACIZED BY HER FAY BEE OF HER PURSU OF A REER ON STAGE. IN SPE OF THE ODDS, NATE’S DNS ACTUALLY GO WELL, AND FOR ONE CLEAR REASON: HE FALLY FEELS EE TO BE HIMSELF AND EMBRACE ALL THE PARTS OF HIM THAT MAKE HIM SPECIAL. IT TURNS OUT, THOSE THGS HE ED TO QUIET ARE EXACTLY WHAT MAKE HIM GREAT.HE DNS WH A MONOLOGUE THAT DIXIE CARTER LIVERS AN EPISO OF DIGNG WOMEN. I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE REPRENTED ON SCREEN. ADVERTISEMENT THERE ARE HTS THAT NATE IS LIKELY GOG TO REALIZE HE IS GAY ONE DAY, WHICH IS OBV TO EVERYONE, THOUGH THAT LABEL IS NEVER ARTICULATED. NOT EVERYONE AT AGE 13 IS PABLE OF PROCSG OR UNRSTANDG THAT ABOUT THEMSELV; I CERTALY WAS NOT. BUT IS A FILM ABOUT HOW OL THAT ULD BE FOR HIM. IT IS A FILM ABOUT FOLLOWG YOUR DREAMS, FDG YOUR TRIBE, AND LEARNG THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL BE ECSTATIC TO LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, AS YOU ARE. IT IS A FILM ABOUT THE GEO, UNBREAKABLE BOND BETWEEN A GAY BOY AND HIS SGLE NT. JOSHUA BASSETT AS ANTHONY AND LISA KUDROW AS HEIDI BETTER NATE THAN EVERDISNEY THAT BETTER NATE THAN EVER IS TARGETED AT A YOUTH MOGRAPHIC SHOULD MAKE THIS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR DISNEY. AFTER ALL, ’S NOT THAT LONG AGO THAT WAS MORED THE PANY SHUFFLED LOVE, VICTOR TO HULU OM DISNEY+ OVER NCERNS THAT S THEM WEREN’T GOG TO FLY WH ALL DISNEY-LOVG FAI. SO HOW THEN TO SQUARE THIS WH EVERYTHG ELSE GOG ON?THE DISAPPOTG REVELATN THAT DISNEY HAD BACKED THE FLORIDA REPRENTATIV WHO VOTED FOR THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL—READ MORE ABOUT S VICNS HERE—AND IALLY CHOSE NOT TO NMN SURFACED A SLEW OF UPSETTG NEWS AND FACTS ABOUT THE PANY. PIXAR EMPLOYE CLAIMED THAT DISPLAYS OF QUEER AFFECTN WERE CUT BY RPORATE EXECUTIV. REMRS ABOUND THAT THERE STILL HASN’T BEEN A LEAD LGBTQ+ CHARACTER A STUD THEATRIL RELEASE. ITS AWKWARD EMBRACE OF PRI WAS BROUGHT UP AGA.THIS WEEK, AS THE NTROVERSIAL BILL WAS OFFICIALLY SIGNED TO LAW, THE PANY RELEASED A STATEMENT NTRADICTG S IAL REMARKS, WHICH SAID THAT THE PANY SHOULDN’T WEIGH ON POLICS AND, LGHABLY, SPEAK WH S NTENT STEAD. THE NEW STATEMENT SAID THE LAW “SHOULD NEVER HAVE PASSED” AND THAT S GOAL AS A PANY IS “FOR THIS LAW TO BE REPEALED.”THAT’S… NICE? THE SENTIMENT, THOUGH ABOUT SEVERAL WEEKS AND HUNDREDS OF THOANDS OF DOLLARS DONATNS TOO LATE, IS APPRECIATED. BUT YOU N’T SAVE A CHILD WHO IS GOG TO BE SUBJECTED TO IRREPARABLE HARM BEE OF THIS LEGISLATN WH SOME SENTIMENT. AT THE MOMENT, IS ABOUT AS VALUABLE AS ME SENDG OUT A TWEET SAYG I VOW THAT THE NFLICT UKRAE MT END. ADVERTISEMENT FERLE WAS ASKED ABOUT ALL OF THIS. IT’S A NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE POSN TO BE : A CREATOR BEHD SOMETHG THAT REPRENTS SUCH PROGRS ON A PLATFORM WHERE THAT PROGRS IS LEGIMATELY MEANGFUL, BUT FOR A PANY WHOSE ACTNS HR THAT PROGRS AND MEANG.“IN MY SEVERAL YEARS WH THE PANY NOW, I WAS HEARTENED TO SEE WE WON THE GLAAD AWARD, WE HAD THE FIRST-EVER SAME GENR KISS. AND WHAT I WANTED TO BRG TO THIS WAS A SLIGHTLY YOUNGER POV OF A MIDDLE-SCHOOLER DISVERG. FOR ME, WHO DIDN’T GROW UP WH A MOVIE LIKE THIS, I KNOW THIS MOVIE WOULD HAVE MA ME FEEL SEEN AND A LOT LS ALONE,” HE TOLD VARIETY.“ULTIMATELY, GOOD REPRENTATN DO NOT NCEL OUT BAD LEGISLATN. AND WHAT I’M HOPEFUL FOR IS THAT THE FIRST STEPS DISNEY’S TAKG NOW ARE ONLY THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS MAKG THE WORLD A TLY SAFER AND MORE CLIVE SPACE.”I CERTALY DON’T HAVE ANSWERS TO ANY OF THIS, OTHER THAN TO BE SO GLEEFULLY HEARTENED AND MOVED THAT BETTER NATE THAN EVER EXISTS, AND STILL SO HORRIFIED AND ANGRY OVER DISNEY’S VOLVEMENT THIS LEGISLATN PASSG.WE’RE ALL NEVER GOG TO STOP NSUMG DISNEY PROJECTS OR WATCHG DISNEY+. CYNIL AS THAT MAY BE, AT LEAST THERE’S BETTER NATE THAN EVER TO MAKE FEEL HOPEFUL AGA. KEV FALLON
• ‘BETTER NATE THAN EVER’ FILMMAKER ON DISNEY’S HANDLG OF “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL: “GOOD REPRENTATN DO NOT CANCEL OUT BAD LEGISLATN”
• RUEBY WOOD GENR: BETTER NATE THAN EVER STAR GAY OR TRANSGENR? GET TO KNOW THE DETAILS!
• ‘BETTER NATE THAN EVER’ DIRECTOR TIM FERLE ON CRAFTG A DISNEY MOVIE WH LGBTQ THEM THE ERA OF ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ LEGISLATN

'BETTER NATE THAN EVER' GIV GAY KIDS WHO LOVE BROADWAY A CHANCE TO FEEL SEEN

“I also wasn’t sure if a fay film wh a gay protagonist would get ma, hontly.

BETTER NATE THAN EVER BOASTS LGBTQ REPRENTATN - BUT DISNEY STILL WON’T SAY GAY

’ And that was such a no-no, bee for me, a central aspect of growg up was the realizatn of my future as a gay person, which was so tied to my inty as a young theater kid.

DISNEY RELEAS ITS GAYT KIDS’ MOVIE YET—AT THE CRAZIT TIMETHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDDISNEYDAYS AFTER FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL OFFICIALLY BEME LAW, THE GLORLY QUEER-POSIVE “BETTER NATE THAN EVER” HS DISNEY+. HOW DO WE SQUARE THOSE TWO THGS?KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED APR. 01, 2022 5:00AM EDT I DON’T WANT TO SHOCK ANYONE, BUT I WAS REALLY TO MIL THEATER AS A KID. I’LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO PROCS THIS EARTH-SHATTERG RMATN.BEG A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WOULD STAGE ONE-MAN PRODUCTNS OF GREASE HIS BEDROOM, BELT “ALAI’S LAMENT” OM GUYS AND DOLLS THE SHOWER, AND WAS OFF-BOOK FOR YEARS SHOULD HE BE ASKED A PCH TO STEP AND PERFORM THE ROLE OF ANNA LEONOWENS A PRODUCTN OF THE KG AND I, WAS A JOYO THG. NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY HOW ULD NOT BE? HAVE YOU SEEN A MIL? PEOPLE MAKE FUNNY JOK, DO A LTLE DANCE, FALL LOVE, AND NSTANTLY BURST TO SONG THE MIDDLE OF ALL. WHAT A GLOR PE!ESPE IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS, TOO, BEE BEG A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY OBSSED WH MILS WAS ALSO A VERY ISOLATG THG—SOMETHG REPRSED AND KEPT SECRET. TO NOT WOULD MEAN SNICKERG. AND WHISPERG. AND THE WORST THG OF ALL: NOT BEG “NORMAL” LIKE THE OTHER GUYS. LISTEN, I’M NOT BREAKG ANY NEWS HERE ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE TO GROW UP NOT EVEN CLOSETED, BUT QUTNG OR UNSURE OF YOUR SEXUALY [YEAR REDACTED]. THIS ISN’T THE UNIQUE, HEARTBREAKG SAGA OF ONE YOUNG MAN NAMED KEV. MILLNS OF KIDS WENT THROUGH THIS, AND MANY OF WORKED THROUGH AND HAVE SCE THRIVED. WE ALL REMEMBER THAT WHOLE “IT GETS BETTER,” I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SCRIBE … MPAIGN? MOVEMENT? DELN?THAT LATTER SCRIPTN HAS BEEN ON MY MD LATELY.ALL THE FEELGS AND MEMORI WERE DUG UP THIS WEEK BEE I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE NEW DISNEY+ FILM BETTER NATE THAN EVER, WHICH JT MAY BE THE MOST GAY-POSIVE AND ENURAGG YOUTH PROGRAMMG THAT DISNEY HAS EVER RELEASED. AND IS G OUT AT THE MOST BIZARRE TIME. CONSIRG EVERYTHG THAT’S BEEN THE NEWS ABOUT DISNEY, FLORIDA’S “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AND THE DISTURBG LATN OF UNAPOLOGETILLY ANTI-LGBTQ+ RHETORIC DISSEMATED BY GOP POLICIANS, ULD BE ARGUED THAT ’S THE BT TIME FOR A MOVIE LIKE THIS TO E OUT. IT’S CERTALY THE STRANGT.THE FILM, THE MOST BETIFUL SIGN OF PROGRS AND THE GREATT PLIMENT I N GIVE, IS SOMETHG I SPERATELY WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS GROWG UP. IT’S A LOVE LETTER TO KIDS—TO THEATER KIDS, AND MOST SPECIFILLY THEATER KIDS WHO WERE MA TO FEEL SHY OR ASHAMED ABOUT WHO THEY WERE AND HOW THEY ACTED, AND WHO PROBABLY, ALMOST 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME, GREW UP TO BE GAY. ADVERTISEMENT TIM FERLE, WHO WROTE AND DIRECTED BETTER NATE THAN EVER BASED ON HIS NATE BOOK SERI, IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, EVEN MAKG A PSTOP AS A BROADWAY PERFORMER ON HIS WAY TO MAKG TV AND MOVI. (HE’S ALSO BEHD THE POPULAR—AND SIARLY QUEER-ACCEPTG—HIGH SCHOOL MIL: THE MIL: THE SERI.)NATE (RUEBY WOOD) IS A 13-YEAR-OLD SUBURBAN KID WHO LIV AND BREATH MILS; ’S BARELY MUT TO THE FILM THAT THE 2004 TONY AWARDS BATTLE BETWEEN AVENUE Q AND WICKED IS REFERENCED, WHILE HE SCRIB HIS MOM’S RELATNSHIP TO HIS NT AS HAVG “ANTAGONISTIC GLDA VS. ELPHABA ACT ONE ENERGY.” “THE FILM, THE MOST BETIFUL SIGN OF PROGRS AND THE GREATT PLIMENT I N GIVE, IS SOMETHG I SPERATELY WISH I HAD WHEN I WAS GROWG UP.” HE IS VASTATED WHEN HE DON’T LAND THE LEAD ROLE HIS SCHOOL’S PRODUCTN OF LLN: THE UNTHORIZED ROCK MIL. TO CHEER HIM UP, HIS BT IEND, ARIA BROOKS’ LIBBY, PLANS A NAWAY B TRIP FOR THE TWO OF THEM TO NEW YORK CY, WHERE AN OPEN LL DN IS HAPPENG FOR A NEW LILO & STCH PRODUCTN.HIJKS ENSUE, AS THEY DO WHEN 13-YEAR-OLDS WH NO CHAPERON N LOOSE THROUGH NEW YORK. IN THIS SE, MANY OF THEM ARE DAYDREAM SEQUENC VOLVG LARGE-SLE MIL PRODUCTN NUMBERS. THEY N TO NATE’S NT, A STGGLG ACTRS PLAYED BY LISA KUDROW WHO HAS BEEN OSTRACIZED BY HER FAY BEE OF HER PURSU OF A REER ON STAGE. IN SPE OF THE ODDS, NATE’S DNS ACTUALLY GO WELL, AND FOR ONE CLEAR REASON: HE FALLY FEELS EE TO BE HIMSELF AND EMBRACE ALL THE PARTS OF HIM THAT MAKE HIM SPECIAL. IT TURNS OUT, THOSE THGS HE ED TO QUIET ARE EXACTLY WHAT MAKE HIM GREAT.HE DNS WH A MONOLOGUE THAT DIXIE CARTER LIVERS AN EPISO OF DIGNG WOMEN. I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE REPRENTED ON SCREEN. ADVERTISEMENT THERE ARE HTS THAT NATE IS LIKELY GOG TO REALIZE HE IS GAY ONE DAY, WHICH IS OBV TO EVERYONE, THOUGH THAT LABEL IS NEVER ARTICULATED. NOT EVERYONE AT AGE 13 IS PABLE OF PROCSG OR UNRSTANDG THAT ABOUT THEMSELV; I CERTALY WAS NOT. BUT IS A FILM ABOUT HOW OL THAT ULD BE FOR HIM. IT IS A FILM ABOUT FOLLOWG YOUR DREAMS, FDG YOUR TRIBE, AND LEARNG THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL BE ECSTATIC TO LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, AS YOU ARE. IT IS A FILM ABOUT THE GEO, UNBREAKABLE BOND BETWEEN A GAY BOY AND HIS SGLE NT. JOSHUA BASSETT AS ANTHONY AND LISA KUDROW AS HEIDI BETTER NATE THAN EVERDISNEY THAT BETTER NATE THAN EVER IS TARGETED AT A YOUTH MOGRAPHIC SHOULD MAKE THIS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR DISNEY. AFTER ALL, ’S NOT THAT LONG AGO THAT WAS MORED THE PANY SHUFFLED LOVE, VICTOR TO HULU OM DISNEY+ OVER NCERNS THAT S THEM WEREN’T GOG TO FLY WH ALL DISNEY-LOVG FAI. SO HOW THEN TO SQUARE THIS WH EVERYTHG ELSE GOG ON?THE DISAPPOTG REVELATN THAT DISNEY HAD BACKED THE FLORIDA REPRENTATIV WHO VOTED FOR THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL—READ MORE ABOUT S VICNS HERE—AND IALLY CHOSE NOT TO NMN SURFACED A SLEW OF UPSETTG NEWS AND FACTS ABOUT THE PANY. PIXAR EMPLOYE CLAIMED THAT DISPLAYS OF QUEER AFFECTN WERE CUT BY RPORATE EXECUTIV. REMRS ABOUND THAT THERE STILL HASN’T BEEN A LEAD LGBTQ+ CHARACTER A STUD THEATRIL RELEASE. ITS AWKWARD EMBRACE OF PRI WAS BROUGHT UP AGA.THIS WEEK, AS THE NTROVERSIAL BILL WAS OFFICIALLY SIGNED TO LAW, THE PANY RELEASED A STATEMENT NTRADICTG S IAL REMARKS, WHICH SAID THAT THE PANY SHOULDN’T WEIGH ON POLICS AND, LGHABLY, SPEAK WH S NTENT STEAD. THE NEW STATEMENT SAID THE LAW “SHOULD NEVER HAVE PASSED” AND THAT S GOAL AS A PANY IS “FOR THIS LAW TO BE REPEALED.”THAT’S… NICE? THE SENTIMENT, THOUGH ABOUT SEVERAL WEEKS AND HUNDREDS OF THOANDS OF DOLLARS DONATNS TOO LATE, IS APPRECIATED. BUT YOU N’T SAVE A CHILD WHO IS GOG TO BE SUBJECTED TO IRREPARABLE HARM BEE OF THIS LEGISLATN WH SOME SENTIMENT. AT THE MOMENT, IS ABOUT AS VALUABLE AS ME SENDG OUT A TWEET SAYG I VOW THAT THE NFLICT UKRAE MT END. ADVERTISEMENT FERLE WAS ASKED ABOUT ALL OF THIS. IT’S A NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE POSN TO BE : A CREATOR BEHD SOMETHG THAT REPRENTS SUCH PROGRS ON A PLATFORM WHERE THAT PROGRS IS LEGIMATELY MEANGFUL, BUT FOR A PANY WHOSE ACTNS HR THAT PROGRS AND MEANG.“IN MY SEVERAL YEARS WH THE PANY NOW, I WAS HEARTENED TO SEE WE WON THE GLAAD AWARD, WE HAD THE FIRST-EVER SAME GENR KISS. AND WHAT I WANTED TO BRG TO THIS WAS A SLIGHTLY YOUNGER POV OF A MIDDLE-SCHOOLER DISVERG. FOR ME, WHO DIDN’T GROW UP WH A MOVIE LIKE THIS, I KNOW THIS MOVIE WOULD HAVE MA ME FEEL SEEN AND A LOT LS ALONE,” HE TOLD VARIETY.“ULTIMATELY, GOOD REPRENTATN DO NOT NCEL OUT BAD LEGISLATN. AND WHAT I’M HOPEFUL FOR IS THAT THE FIRST STEPS DISNEY’S TAKG NOW ARE ONLY THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS MAKG THE WORLD A TLY SAFER AND MORE CLIVE SPACE.”I CERTALY DON’T HAVE ANSWERS TO ANY OF THIS, OTHER THAN TO BE SO GLEEFULLY HEARTENED AND MOVED THAT BETTER NATE THAN EVER EXISTS, AND STILL SO HORRIFIED AND ANGRY OVER DISNEY’S VOLVEMENT THIS LEGISLATN PASSG.WE’RE ALL NEVER GOG TO STOP NSUMG DISNEY PROJECTS OR WATCHG DISNEY+. CYNIL AS THAT MAY BE, AT LEAST THERE’S BETTER NATE THAN EVER TO MAKE FEEL HOPEFUL AGA. KEV FALLON

(The character nfintly intifi as gay 2018’s “Nate Expectatns, ” the third book the seri. David Lee/DisneyStill, as several outlets have poted out, the movie arriv as Disney is facg a wave of backlash for s checkered rponse to Florida’s Parental Rights Edutn ― or “Don’t Say Gay” ― law. The Daily Beast picked up on the film’s seemgly spic timg, praisg “Nate” as “the most gay-posive and enuragg youth programmg that Disney has ever released, ” before notg: “And is g out at the most bizarre time.

Better Nate Than Ever Boasts LGBTQ Reprentatn - But Disney Still Won’t Say Gay. At the height of Disney's ntroversy over the "Don't Gay Say" bill, still released a film about a gay character whout ever sayg the word. Disney has gotten to some ntroversy lately over s flip-floppg stance on Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, but spe that, still released s movie Better Nate Than Ever—a film directly about a gay teenager fdg his place the world—whout any character ever once utterg the word "gay.

It was a big al when word got out that Disney's Jungle Cise would be s first major motn picture to feature a leadg gay character. It felt like the start of a big change for a pany which the LGBTQIA+ muny has felt ltle reprentatn on the small screen and even ls on the big screen, where the only other major gay character was LeFou om s live-actn Bety and the Beast.

‘BETTER NATE THAN EVER’ FILMMAKER ON DISNEY’S HANDLG OF “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL: “GOOD REPRENTATN DO NOT CANCEL OUT BAD LEGISLATN”

However, spe all the boastg and reachg for s proverbial pat on the back for dog good eds, the way Disney has addrsed s LGBTQ+ characters th far has been through stereotypg, very awkward nversatns which the characters talk around the issue, and certaly by never outright sayg that they are gay. In the se of Jungle Cise, they n e the exce that between the time and lotn of the film, McGregor would be aaid to e right out and say that he was gay, as uld've been punishable by actual jail time.

RUEBY WOOD GENR: BETTER NATE THAN EVER STAR GAY OR TRANSGENR? GET TO KNOW THE DETAILS!

Wrer and creator Tim Ferle says they tentnally never ed the word gay bee he felt at 13 that kids would know they were different but not be ready to say the word out loud yet. Let characters be gay, let them say whout shame, and don't para around like 's some sort of new trend to be reward.

That latter scriptn has been on my md the feelgs and memori were dug up this week bee I had a chance to watch the new Disney+ film Better Nate Than Ever, which jt may be the most gay-posive and enuragg youth programmg that Disney has ever released.

‘BETTER NATE THAN EVER’ DIRECTOR TIM FERLE ON CRAFTG A DISNEY MOVIE WH LGBTQ THEM THE ERA OF ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ LEGISLATN

Consirg everythg that’s been the news about Disney, Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and the disturbg latn of unapologetilly anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric dissemated by GOP policians, uld be argued that ’s the bt time for a movie like this to e out.

I have never felt more reprented on are hts that Nate is likely gog to realize he is gay one day, which is obv to everyone, though that label is never articulated.