Pixar's Lightyear Rtor Same-Sex Kiss After Don't Say Gay Uproar - Variety

Contents:

• SAME-SEX KISS RTORED PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ FOLLOWG STAFF UPROAR OVER ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL (EXCLUSIVE)
• BUZZ LIGHTYEAR’S GAY AGENDA
• 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 POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLJOG 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 FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)PL CHI
• LIGHTYEAR’S ANTI-GAY CRICS N BUZZ OFF, SAYS CHRIS EVANS

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

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

: It was ially cut om the film, then rtored after ternal uproar when was revealed Disney had donated $200, 000 to Republin policians who supported Florida's “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which forbids discsns of sexual orientatn elementary school Evans' Buzz is more fantastic than plastic Pixar's spiffy 'Lightyear'“What this film do is handle love and those stori the way that they should be, that they are not the totaly of a person, ” Aduba tells USA TODAY. ':Chris Evans on 'Lightyear, ' playg bad guys and beg 'a romantic person'In March, the kiss was rtored after Pixar animators spoke out agast Disney  an open letter obtaed by Variety, sayg executiv had mand cuts "om nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn.

Playg a character like Alisha a high-profile movie the wake of “Don’t Say Gay” and other siar legislatn “means everythg, ” Aduba adds. More:Disney CEO fally speaks out on 'Don't Say Gay.

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR’S GAY AGENDA

' But where's the gay Disney fairy tale? 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. 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.

"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. 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.

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. 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.

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 POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLJOG 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 FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)PL CHI

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. LGBTQ sex lumnist Dan Savage noted that Earrg Magic Ken’s wardrobe rembled outfs seen at gay rav a few years prr (leave to Ken to be jt behd the tim).

And to many who’d seen the doll, the rg around his neck rembled a certa sex toy popular among straight and gay men alike. Even though Mattel nied that he was signed wh gay men md, he was one of the few mastream toys at the time that stck a chord wh LGBTQ nsumers.

‘Avatar 2’ reveals first teaser trailer, official tle at CemaConAn emotnal montage shows glimps of Alisha and her partner startg a fay together, at one pot greetg each other wh a kiss on 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. But was later rtored light of Disney’s “Don’t Say Gay” ntroversy, when was revealed the pany had donated roughly US$200, 000 (HK$1, 569, 430) to Republin policians who supported the bill, which forbids discsns of sexual orientatn primary school new sp-off tells the backstory of the Buzz Lightyear character and his heroic missn space.

LIGHTYEAR’S ANTI-GAY CRICS N BUZZ OFF, SAYS CHRIS EVANS

5 films to watch as cemas reopen Hong KongOther 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.

RELATED: Chris Evans Calls Crics Of Lightyear’s Gay Kiss “Idts” As His Film Is Banned In the Middle East.

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.