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

Contents:

• ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’: JOSH GAD PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• BETY AND THE BEAST “DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH” WH GAY LEFOU, SAYS JOSH GAD “I DON’T THK WE DID JTICE TO WHAT A REAL GAY CHARACTER A DISNEY FILM SHOULD BE,” GAD SAID A RECENT TERVIEW.BY SAVANNAH WALSHMARCH 1, 2022FROM SHUTTERSTOCK.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT’S BEEN NEARLY FIVE YEARS SCE DISNEY’S LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST MA HEADL FOR AN “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT” VOLVG LEFOU (PLAYED BY JOSH GAD), THE DIM-WTED SIKICK TO THE VILLAO GASTON (LE EVANS). THAT SCENE, TEASED BY DIRECTOR BILL CONDON DURG THE FILM’S PRS TOUR, WOUND UP BEG MERELY A BRIEF SHOT OF LEFOU DANCG WH ANOTHER MAN JT BEFORE THE CREDS ROLLED. GAD IS NOW REMORSEFUL ABOUT HIS CHARACTER’S POSNG AS DISNEY’S FIRST TE LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN.“WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH TO WARRANT ACLAS,” HE RECENTLY TOLD THE INPENNT. “WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH TO SAY, ‘LOOK HOW BRAVE WE ARE.’ MY REGRET WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT BEME ‘DISNEY’S FIRST EXPLICLY GAY MOMENT’ AND WAS NEVER TEND TO BE THAT. IT WAS NEVER TEND TO BE A MOMENT THAT WE SHOULD LD OURSELV FOR, BEE ANKLY, I DON’T THK WE DID JTICE TO WHAT A REAL GAY CHARACTER A DISNEY FILM SHOULD BE.”AT THE TIME OF BETY AND THE BEAST’S RELEASE, THE IMPLITN THAT A BELOVED ANIMATED CHARACTER WOULD BE QUEER ED NTROVERSY. AN ALABAMA THEATER REFED TO SCREEN THE FILM, MALAYSIA BALKED AT SCREENG AN UNCENSORED VERSN OF , AND RSIA APPROVED THE FILM FOR SCREENG BUT WH AN AGE RATG OF 16 AND ABOVE. AMIDST THE FALLOUT, CONDON REVISED HIS EARLIER MENTS, LLG VERAGE OF THE SCENE “OVERBLOWN.” MEANWHILE, GAD TOLD USA TODAY AT THE FILM’S PREMIERE THAT THE SCRIPT DID NOT EXPLICLY DISCLOSE LEFOU’S SEXUALY AS GAY. “THAT WAS NOT LEFOU,” GAD NTUED HIS REMARKS TO THE INPENNT. “IF WE’RE GOG TO PAT OURSELV ON THE BACK, THEN DAMN , WE SHOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER WH THAT. EVERYBODY SERV AN OPPORTUNY TO SEE THEMSELV ON SCREEN, AND I DON’T THK WE’VE DONE ENOUGH—AND I CERTALY HAVEN’T DONE ENOUGH TO DO THAT.”GAD WAS SET TO REPRISE HIS ROLE AS LEFOU A PREQUEL SERI FOR DISNEY+, WHICH WOULD HAVE RNED WH EVANS’S GASTON. HOWEVER, DISNEY POSTPONED THE PROJECT EARLIER THIS YEAR, DUE TO CREATIVE LAYS. “WE TRIED TO MAKE ALL WORK BUT UNR THE GUN WASN’T MEANT TO BE…FOR NOW,” GAD, WHO WAS ALSO A SHOWNNER ON THE SERI, TWEETED. “THE CHARACTERS AND THIS STORY WILL LIVE ON, BUT SOMETIM THE BT TENTNS & REALY LLI & NOTHG N BE DONE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSAVANNAH WALSH
• "BETY AND THE BEAST" DIRECTOR NFIRMS OPENLY GAY CHARACTER THE LIVE-ACTN REMAKE
• ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST': JOSH GAD’S LE FOU WILL BE DISNEY'S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHG
• LEFOU EMBRAC LE FEY: DISNEY GO GAY IN ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’
• BETY AND THE BEAST WILL FEATURE DISNEY’S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• JOSH GAD SAYS LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST DIDN'T 'GO FAR ENOUGH' PICTG GAY CHARACTER
• JOSH GAD SHAR ‘REGRET’ OVER GAY ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ REVEAL: ‘WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH’
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• LEFOU IS REVEALED TO BE GAY THE LIVE-ACTN VERSN OF BETY AND THE BEAST
• JOSH GAD ADMS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' REMAKE 'DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH' WH GAY CHARACTER'S STORYLE
• BETY AND THE BEAST FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• BETY & THE BEAST WILL MAKE DISNEY HISTORY WH FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• BETY AND THE BEAST MAK HISTORY WH DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• DISNEY'S BETY AND THE BEAST LIVE-ACTN FILM TO FEATURE LEFOU AS FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER
• DISNEY FIRST: LIVE-ACTN 'BETY AND THE BEAST' REMAKE TO FEATURE OPENLY GAY CHARACTER

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

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.

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

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.

BETY AND THE BEAST “DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH” WH GAY LEFOU, SAYS JOSH GAD “I DON’T THK WE DID JTICE TO WHAT A REAL GAY CHARACTER A DISNEY FILM SHOULD BE,” GAD SAID A RECENT TERVIEW.BY SAVANNAH WALSHMARCH 1, 2022FROM SHUTTERSTOCK.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT’S BEEN NEARLY FIVE YEARS SCE DISNEY’S LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST MA HEADL FOR AN “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT” VOLVG LEFOU (PLAYED BY JOSH GAD), THE DIM-WTED SIKICK TO THE VILLAO GASTON (LE EVANS). THAT SCENE, TEASED BY DIRECTOR BILL CONDON DURG THE FILM’S PRS TOUR, WOUND UP BEG MERELY A BRIEF SHOT OF LEFOU DANCG WH ANOTHER MAN JT BEFORE THE CREDS ROLLED. GAD IS NOW REMORSEFUL ABOUT HIS CHARACTER’S POSNG AS DISNEY’S FIRST TE LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN.“WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH TO WARRANT ACLAS,” HE RECENTLY TOLD THE INPENNT. “WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH TO SAY, ‘LOOK HOW BRAVE WE ARE.’ MY REGRET WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT BEME ‘DISNEY’S FIRST EXPLICLY GAY MOMENT’ AND WAS NEVER TEND TO BE THAT. IT WAS NEVER TEND TO BE A MOMENT THAT WE SHOULD LD OURSELV FOR, BEE ANKLY, I DON’T THK WE DID JTICE TO WHAT A REAL GAY CHARACTER A DISNEY FILM SHOULD BE.”AT THE TIME OF BETY AND THE BEAST’S RELEASE, THE IMPLITN THAT A BELOVED ANIMATED CHARACTER WOULD BE QUEER ED NTROVERSY. AN ALABAMA THEATER REFED TO SCREEN THE FILM, MALAYSIA BALKED AT SCREENG AN UNCENSORED VERSN OF , AND RSIA APPROVED THE FILM FOR SCREENG BUT WH AN AGE RATG OF 16 AND ABOVE. AMIDST THE FALLOUT, CONDON REVISED HIS EARLIER MENTS, LLG VERAGE OF THE SCENE “OVERBLOWN.” MEANWHILE, GAD TOLD USA TODAY AT THE FILM’S PREMIERE THAT THE SCRIPT DID NOT EXPLICLY DISCLOSE LEFOU’S SEXUALY AS GAY. “THAT WAS NOT LEFOU,” GAD NTUED HIS REMARKS TO THE INPENNT. “IF WE’RE GOG TO PAT OURSELV ON THE BACK, THEN DAMN , WE SHOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER WH THAT. EVERYBODY SERV AN OPPORTUNY TO SEE THEMSELV ON SCREEN, AND I DON’T THK WE’VE DONE ENOUGH—AND I CERTALY HAVEN’T DONE ENOUGH TO DO THAT.”GAD WAS SET TO REPRISE HIS ROLE AS LEFOU A PREQUEL SERI FOR DISNEY+, WHICH WOULD HAVE RNED WH EVANS’S GASTON. HOWEVER, DISNEY POSTPONED THE PROJECT EARLIER THIS YEAR, DUE TO CREATIVE LAYS. “WE TRIED TO MAKE ALL WORK BUT UNR THE GUN WASN’T MEANT TO BE…FOR NOW,” GAD, WHO WAS ALSO A SHOWNNER ON THE SERI, TWEETED. “THE CHARACTERS AND THIS STORY WILL LIVE ON, BUT SOMETIM THE BT TENTNS & REALY LLI & NOTHG N BE DONE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSAVANNAH WALSH

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" DIRECTOR NFIRMS OPENLY GAY CHARACTER THE LIVE-ACTN REMAKE

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

ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG

It’s been nearly five years sce Disney’s live-actn Bety and the Beast ma headl for an “exclively gay moment” volvg LeFou (played by Josh Gad), the dim-wted sikick to the villao Gaston (Le Evans).

'BETY AND THE BEAST': JOSH GAD’S LE FOU WILL BE DISNEY'S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER

’ My regret what happened is that beme ‘Disney’s first explicly gay moment’ and was never tend to be that. It was never tend to be a moment that we should ld ourselv for, bee ankly, I don’t thk we did jtice to what a real gay character a Disney film should be.

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

” Meanwhile, Gad told USA Today at the film’s premiere that the script did not explicly disclose LeFou’s sexualy as gay. The live-actn “Bety and the Beast” remake is set to make history by featurg Disney’s first-ever “exclively gay moment, ” director Bill Condon Emma Watson sg “Belle” om “Bety and the Beast”In the new film, Josh Gad’s character LeFou -- a syphantic henchman to the nceed Gaston, played by Le Evans -- will be prented a b differently om the 1991 animated versn. 'Bety and the Beast': Josh Gad’s Le Fou Will Be Disney's First-Ever Gay Character.

And as the stud has gotten bolr s subject matter wh films like Zootopia (which took on stutnal racism) and Moana (which bucked a romantic entanglement entirely to prent an pennt female protagonist), appears they’re now fally ready to (gasp) clu a gay character.

Ined, appears that the high-profile live-actn remake of Bety and the Beast, director Bill Condon and team have embraced the subtext of the origal and will prent Josh Gad’s Le Fou as a gay character.

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

Speakg wh Bra’s Attu Magaze (via IndieWire), Condon revealed the film will offer the first “nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie, ” while addg that Le Fou’s character will fd himself wrtlg wh his feelgs for Le Evans’ Gaston:. Even Alien: Covenant featur a gay uple as a pair of s central characters.

Wh Bety, Condon is simply doublg down on years of subtext found the Disney library, and ed the man rponsible for wrg the inic songs the origal Bety and the Beast, Howard Ashman, was himself gay.

BETY AND THE BEAST WILL FEATURE DISNEY’S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

So before folks get up arms about this live-actn redo’s gay character, let’s keep md that ’s really jt brgg to the surface what was already there the first place.

For his part, Gad nfirmed the news on Twter by sayg he’s proud to be playg Disney’s first openly gay character. 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.

JOSH GAD SAYS LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST DIDN'T 'GO FAR ENOUGH' PICTG GAY CHARACTER

"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.

JOSH GAD SHAR ‘REGRET’ OVER GAY ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ REVEAL: ‘WE DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH’

"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. "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.

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

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

LEFOU IS REVEALED TO BE GAY THE LIVE-ACTN VERSN OF BETY AND THE BEAST

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.

JOSH GAD ADMS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' REMAKE 'DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH' WH GAY CHARACTER'S STORYLE

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. Spoiler alert: the upg live-actn Bety and the Beast will feature Disney’s first-ever openly gay character. "I don't thk we did jtice to what a real gay character a Disney film should be, " the actor said an terview.

BETY AND THE BEAST FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

), and we all thought Disney's live-actn Bety and the Beast might feature a groundbreakg gay character.

" In a new terview wh The Inpennt, the actor, who played LeFou the 2017 remake, discsed what director Bill Condon once referred to as an "exclively gay moment": an extremely brief shot of LeFou dancg wh another male character. ' My regret what happened is that beme 'Disney's first explicly gay moment' and was never tend to be that.

BETY & THE BEAST WILL MAKE DISNEY HISTORY WH FIRST GAY CHARACTER

It was never tend to be a moment that we should ld ourselv for, bee ankly, I don't thk we did jtice to what a real gay character a Disney film should be. " Related ntent: Bety and the Beast prequel seri halted at Disney+: 'We tried to make all work'Beyoncé turned down the live-actn Bety and the Beast, director saysAs a dad, I'm glad Bety and the Beast featur a gay character Bety and the Beast (2017) type Movie mpaa ntime 129 mut director Bill Condon. Five years after Gad took on the role of LeFou Disney’s live-actn remake, the “Wolf Like Me” actor is slammg the hype around the “exclively gay moment” onscreen, as director Bill Condon tegorized 2017.

BETY AND THE BEAST MAK HISTORY WH DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

“My regret what happened is that beme ‘Disney’s first explicly gay moment’ and was never tend to be that, ” Gad told The Inpennt.

“It was never tend to be a moment that should ld ourselv for, bee ankly, I don’t thk we did jtice to what a real gay character a Disney film should be. Gad also noted that “there was nothg the script that said ‘LeFou is gay.

'” Now, the actor is revealg his te thoughts about beg LeFou beg d as gay.

DISNEY'S BETY AND THE BEAST LIVE-ACTN FILM TO FEATURE LEFOU AS FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER

An Alabama theater boytted the film, starg Emma Watson and Dan Stevens the tular lead rol, and Disney pulled the movie om Malaysia after chairman of the Malaysian film censorship board, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, censored a specific “gay moment. As IndieWire’s Ju Dry wrote the review, “As for that gay moment, ’s tough to know which one he meant.

NEW YORK (Rters) - Walt Disney Co’s live-actn adaptatn of “Bety and the Beast, ” one of the most anticipated movi of the year, will feature a gay character for the first time Disney’s history, acrdg to the film’s director.

REUTERS/Aly SongDirector Bill Condon said an terview wh Attu, a Brish gay liftyle magaze, that LeFou, the goofy sikick to the film’s primary villa, Gaston, will e to terms wh his sexualy. But is a nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie, ” he told media reactn was mixed. While some people weled Disney’s move to be more clive, many were disappoted wh the choice of Disney’s first gay character.

DISNEY FIRST: LIVE-ACTN 'BETY AND THE BEAST' REMAKE TO FEATURE OPENLY GAY CHARACTER

Twter er Ian Mil Cheong (@stillgray) wrote: “Disney’s makg s first gay character wh LeFou and he’s a clownish sikick who exists to prop up his straight bt iend. And now the movie's creators are droppg another excg bomb on : LeFou, Gaston's sikick, is gay.

This mak him Disney's first-ever openly gay character, se you were keepg sre. In the new issue of Attu magaze, BATB director Bill Condon reveals that LeFou (played by Frozen's Josh Gad) has an "exclively gay moment" the movie.

Queer them and gay theori are rampant the Disney universe (there's actually a petn circlg the Inter to give Elsa om Frozen a girliend), but this marks the first time a character's homosexualy has been explicly nfirmed. This isn't a ltle die movie that featur a radilly queer storyle: This is a big-budget, mastream film wh a gay character smack-dab the middle.