“Beauty and the Beast” will feature Disney’s first ever “exclusively gay moment.”
According to the director of the live action film, Bill Condon, the movie will feature Disney’s first openly gay character.
Gaston’s sidekick, LeFou who is played by Josh Gad will have a small subplot in the movie that relates to his sexuality.
“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” Condon said in an interview with Attitude magazine. “He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realizing 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.”
Gad tweeted that he was “beyond proud” to play this role for “Beauty and the Beast.”
Attitudes Editor-in-Chief, Matt Cain, called this a “watershed moment for Disney.”
“It’s only a first step towards creating a cinematic world that reflects the one in which many of us are now proud to live,” he said in Attitude. “But it’s a step in the right direction and I applaud Disney for being brave enough to make it – and in doing so hopefully helping to change attitudes and bring about real social progress.”
Gaston, who is portrayed by Luke Evans, is known as the villain of the Disney story who hopes to win Belle for himself.
“Beauty and the Beast” has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year. Emma Watson is portraying Belle while Dan Stevens will be the Beast.
Watson has spoken about her character and feminism in an interview with Vanity Fair.
Belle is “absolutely a Disney princess, but she’s not a passive character—she’s in charge of her own destiny,” Watson said.
“Beauty and the Beast” will release in theaters this Friday, March 17.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor