Disney Stars Its First Gay Character In ‘Beauty And The Beast’, Fans Respond
Disney is spreading LGBTQ awareness one step at a time with its upcoming productions, one of which garnered sizeable support from the Internet recently.
With the hype of Beauty and the Beast, Disney took the chance to fully mould overlooked character ‘LeFou’, played by Josh Gad.
‘LeFou’ is seen as the doltish and obsequious partner in crime of ‘Gaston’, played by Luke Evans, who’s continuously doing the latter’s dirty work. Almost like an underlying layer, it seems ‘LeFou’ does risk his own life in order to please ‘Gaston’.
Director Bill Condon described ‘LeFou’ as someone who “on one day wants to be ‘Gaston’ and on another day wants to kiss ‘Gaston’.” In an interview with British gay lifestyle magazine Attitude, he explained, “He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just reali[z]ing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its payoff at the end, which I don’t want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.” Condon also teased readers saying that the sexuality of ‘LeFou’ could affect the story outcome.
News of the character’s sexuality has caused a stir of feelings among the Disney fandom. Whilst there were welcome arms, some felt he was the wrong choice of character to implement homosexuality.
The added teaser simply adds to the excitement of Beauty and the Beast, which will hit theaters on 17 March.
Watch the short clip below of Evans and Gad singing Disney classic Gaston, and take a look at the responses from Twitter users toward the announcement.
"The team have now revealed LeFou will experience Disney’s first ever “gay moment” on screen, as he struggles with his feelings for Gaston." pic.twitter.com/ViaGWnDC4U
— todd coward (@komaedalings) March 1, 2017
Image via komaedalings
young gay kids deserve better representation than “lefou the fool and comedic relief is confused about his sexuality for gaston”
— Klaudia Amenábar (@kaludiasays) March 1, 2017
Image via klaudiasays
[QUOTE] @chriscolfer’s reaction to LeFou being gay in the upcoming “Beauty and the Beast” film https://t.co/GMANILByh5 pic.twitter.com/GLEWWND8CI
— Chris Colfer News (@colfer_news) March 2, 2017
Image via colfer_news
"disney's first openly gay character is lefou!!" pic.twitter.com/7qCCJ7PeUu
— k8 ☆🍍 (@dolewhipfloat) March 1, 2017
Image via dolewhipfloat
[via CBC News and Attitude, video via Entertainment Weekly, images via various sources]
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