Disney's first ever gay character and love scene are set to appear in the upcoming live-action remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens.
- March 1, 2017
AceShowbiz -
"Beauty and the Beast" is set to feature Disney's first gay character and love scene. Director Bill Condon opens up about the first-ever gay moment in a Disney film during an interview with Attitude Magazine's April 2017 issue.
Bill says he created a character who would break new ground when it comes to LGBT visibility on screen. Played by Josh Gad, the character of LeFou serves as the sidekick to the primary antagonist Gaston (Luke Evans). LeFou tries to come to terms with feelings for Gaston that swing between lust and admiration.
"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston," Bill tells the mag, "He's confused about what he wants. It's somebody who's just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh [Gad, who plays LeFou] makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its pay-off at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."
On the film's queer sensibility, Emma Watson says, "I think it was really important actually for Dan and I to develop and understand why each of our characters feel like they don't fit in. I certainly felt watching the original that I wanted to know more about why Belle feels that she's different and why she wants to be different and why she's naturally different."
Dan Stevens then comments on why the lead characters are so popular with gay men. "It's about that sense of persecution," he explains, "Belle is seen as a bit of a freak within her community, this girl who reads and invents things and is a bit too clever for the local Establishment. And Beast is obviously persecuted because of his appearance."
"Beauty and the Beast" is set to hit U.S. theaters on March 17.
