Earlier this year, Disney films made history in Cruella by including the first gay character ever to appear in a live-action Disney film. History is continuing to be made as a 2nd gay character is about to make their debut this Friday when Jungle Cruise opens around the country. Britsh actor Jack Whitehall plays McGregor, sister of Emily Blunt’s character Lily. Upping the ante McGregor also has – wait for it – a coming-out scene.
While the word ‘gay’ is never mentioned in the scene, McGregor tells the skipper of the boat (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) that he was engaged three times but broke them all off because his,
“interests happily lay elsewhere”
McGregor goes on to talk about his devotion and love for his sister who “stood by him” when no one else did. Seems he was shunned by family and friends because of who he “loved.” (That sure sounds like a coming-out scene to me!)
Whitehall spoke to Variety about the scene at the movie’s premiere saying,
“I think it was a really well-written scene, and one that we certainly thought about and talked about. I hope that it’s a scene that audiences enjoy … I certainly felt at the time that I was proud of the work that we’d done.”
Whitehall also told Variety he did not know the character was gay when he auditioned for the role,
When I first read the script, there was only like a couple of sides. So yeah, there wasn’t any indication of that. It was quite a long casting process.”
Jungle Cruise opens in theaters and on Disney Plus, with Premier Access, this Friday, July 30th. Check out the trailer below.
Sources: Variety
… and LeFou in the live action Beauty and the Beast? This is the third time…
Shouldn’t it read “brother of Emily Blunt’s character Lily” and not “sister of Emily Blunt’s character Lily”?
Indeed
First I thought Disney had a transgender character. Then I realized it was written wrong. Who the hell does the copy proofing here?!!