Josh Gad rponds to 'Bety and the Beast' ntroversy over gay character | CNN

Contents:

• 'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’: JOSH GAD PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER
• ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG
• "BETY AND THE BEAST" DIRECTOR NFIRMS OPENLY GAY CHARACTER THE LIVE-ACTN REMAKE
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHG
• ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG
• LEFOU EMBRAC LE FEY: DISNEY GO GAY IN ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’
• JOSH GAD RPONDS TO PEOPLE UPSET BY GAY CHARACTER ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’
• AN ALABAMA THEATER WON'T SHOW THE NEW 'BETY AND THE BEAST' BEE HAS A GAY CHARACTER
• IS THIS REALLY DISNEY’S FIRST GAY CHARACTER?
• ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ TO FEATURE DISNEY’S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER
• DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER ARRIV BETY AND THE BEAST
• THE “EXCLIVELY GAY” CHARACTER THE BETY AND THE BEAST REMAKE IS NOT AS REVOLUTNARY AS DISNEY THKS IT IS

'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.

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. ” 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.

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. 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 PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER

And, now, looks like the pany will do jt that wh Bety and the the April issue of Attu, director Bill Condon nfirmed the live-actn adaptatn of Bety and the Beast would have an openly gay character. "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. 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. "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.

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

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.

"BETY AND THE BEAST" DIRECTOR NFIRMS OPENLY GAY CHARACTER THE LIVE-ACTN REMAKE

"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. Disney's Bety and the Beast is easily one of the greatt and gayt children's movi of all pany recently ma headl after cidg to clu a sgle gay character their latt live-actn versn.

Crics lled their cln of one gay character groundbreakg — which was — but as any unhealthy obssed fan of the movie knows, the origal Bety and the Beast was rich wh queer subtexts and characters (or at least, on we uld dream about) ALSO: 'Bety and the Beast' director reveals Disney's first openly gay characterListen: the movie me out (hare-har) 1991.

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

SEE ALSO: Malaysia holds off screeng 'Bety and the Beast' after scene volvg 'gay moment'Below is list of characters om Bety and the Beast who are very likely queer but who jt haven't e out yet, and may future versns.

CogsworthImage: disneyFace : Cogsworth is one gay clock. GastonGaston's entire purpose life is to let know he's not gay. Perhaps Gaston over-performs his masculy precisely bee he liv such a homophobic French small town/fictnal Disney movie.

The town hairdrserImage: youtubeObvly, stereotyp aren't real and not all male hairdrsers are gay, but this one is. It's a ltle disappotg that he's the only out gay character Disney's newt versn of Bety and The Beast, and not a particularly posive one.

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

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

LEFOU EMBRAC LE FEY: DISNEY GO GAY IN ‘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.

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. Josh Gad has a msage for those who are offend that his character, LeFou, is gay. Josh Gad has a msage for people upset that his character the upg “Bety and the Beast” film is gay.

JOSH GAD RPONDS TO PEOPLE UPSET BY GAY CHARACTER ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’

Gad plays LeFou, the first openly gay character a Disney movie. Related: Alabama theater shuns ‘Bety and the Beast’ over gay ‘moment’. Director Bill Condon talked to Attu magaze last week about his cisn to have an “exclively gay moment” the film.

A drive- movie theater Alabama announced on s Facebook page Thursday that will not be showg Disney's upg live-actn versn of "Bety and the Beast" bee has a gay Henagar Drive-In Theatre Henagar, Alabama, me to the cisn after "Bety and the Beast" director Bill Condon revealed that Josh Gad's character LeFou, the il sikick to antagonist Gaston (Le Evans), will be Disney's first-ever openly LGBTQ 's a portn of what was wrten on the Henagar Drive-In Facebook page:"For those that do not know 'Bety and the Beast' is 'premierg' their first homosexual character. "Condon explaed the reason behd LeFou beg gay the live-actn "Bety and the Beast" to Attu: “LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, " Condon said.

AN ALABAMA THEATER WON'T SHOW THE NEW 'BETY AND THE BEAST' BEE HAS A GAY CHARACTER

"At the end of the Henagar Drive-In Facebook post, the theater stat: "We will ntue to show fay oriented films so you n feel ee to e watch wholome movi whout worryg about sex, nudy, homosexualy and foul language. Bety and the Beast’s live-actn update was already makg headl for s revisns to the 1991 animated classic, but s latt allegedly serv as a first for all of Disney: The late-breakg announcement yterday that the film will feature the stud’s first gay character adds a new layer to the productn, which has actively sought to take s fairy-tale source material to the 21st century. In the April issue of the Brish magaze, Attu, the film’s stars (Dan Stevens and Emma Watson), along wh s director, Bill Condon, talk at length about the film’s nnectn to the gay muny.

Htg at an “exclively gay moment” volvg LeFou, Condon offered a rare nfirmatn regardg the sexualy of a Disney character. For s part, Disney has never shied away om referencg gay culture, noddg to legendary drag performer Dive wh the character sign for Ursula the Sea Wch om The Ltle Mermaid, or on ocsn subvertg genr rol wh stori like Mulan.

” While LeFou may not be a perfect example of reprentatn—his syphantic toadyg verg on stereotype, and his name translat, lerally, to “The Fool”—the prence of a gay character wh the world of Disney remas important. Josh Gad is settg a tone for Disney: His portrayal of LeFou the live-actn rendn of “Bety and the Beast” will be Disney’s first openly gay character. Televisn host Chris Parente tweeted to Gad, askg him to nfirm that the film would fact clu this “exclively gay moment, ” sayg that would “mean a lot to me, and gay kids everywhere.

IS THIS REALLY DISNEY’S FIRST GAY CHARACTER?

Director Bill Condon not that the film's 'exclively gay moment' will have a nice payoff at the end.

Now, the already heightened level of anticipatn will likely ratchet up a notch wh the announcement that 's the first film to feature the an openly gay character Disney's history.

Condon has drawn praise om his actors liverg the first openly gay character to the screen, wh Gad tweetg out that he was “beyond proud” to be playg the role. We fally got nfirmatn that LeFou om 'Bety and the Beast' was gay, but will the new Disney Pl prequel tell his story?

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ TO FEATURE DISNEY’S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER

Article ntu below advertisementAre we gettg an openly gay character the 'Bety and the Beast' prequel? Bill Condon, who directed the 2017 live-actn Bety and the Beast, nfirmed the April 2017 issue of Attu (a Brish gay liftyle magaze) that Josh Gad's versn of LeFou was ed gay.

Not only was he gay, but he was Disney's first openly gay character, which was dited by a "nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie, " said Bill Attu (via Vany Fair).

DISNEY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER ARRIV BETY AND THE BEAST

Howard Ashman, the lyricist who -wrote the songs for Bety and the Beast wh his creative partner poser Alan Menken, was gay and battlg AIDS while workg on the film. It's a small step, fally havg an openly gay character 2022, but 's a step nohels.

THE “EXCLIVELY GAY” CHARACTER THE BETY AND THE BEAST REMAKE IS NOT AS REVOLUTNARY AS DISNEY THKS IT IS

The upg live-actn Bety and the Beast remake will be the first Disney movie to feature an openly gay character, acrdg to director Bill Condon—and no, ’s not Lumière or Cogsworth. Condon revealed an terview wh Attu that Josh Gad’s characer, LeFou (the sikick to villao Gaston), will have what he lls an “exclively gay moment” the film. Attu’s own edor--chief, Matt Ca, seemed to offer more specifics about what, exactly, nstut an “exclively gay moment, ” while praisg the news.

“By reprentg same-sex attractn this short but explicly gay scene, the stud is sendg out a msage that this is normal and natural. Even settg asi the obv ntradictns at work here—the scene will be explicly gay but also “subtle, ” somehow—this is not que the groundbreakg, rah-rah, LGBTQ-clive moment Disney seems to believe is.

And if the stud believ gay dienc n’t intify wh a character unls that character is explicly queer, they’ve missed the memo, bee, as Akash Nilas poted out a 2014 piece the Atlantic, between g-out anthems like “Let It Go, ” outsir villas who have been rejected by society, and protagonists who fd solace found fai, Disney has been subtly but surely promotg the “gay agenda” for years. Bety and the Beast don’t necsarily need a gay character, bee the animated movie is already a queer story which the hero are outsirs who are shunned for their differenc.