Ready for some gay Disney? We have been all our lives. No, this will not be the first time Disney has had gay characters in their films, but in this day and age, we are positive it'll make lots of waves.
Attitude sat down with Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon and talked about the original 1991 film (god I'm old) and how it lead to him creating an LGBT subplot in the new live action version.
Played by Josh Gad, the character of LeFou serves as the sidekick to the film’s primary antagonist Gaston (Luke Evans), and is set to feature in a small but significant subplot of his own when it comes to his sexuality.
“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” reveals Condon.
We all know LeFou as Olaf from Frozen, I mean Josh Gad. Both characters are semi unnecessary side kicks added to a story to provide comic relief as well as to have someone that looks up to and uplifts other characters in their own way.
“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 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.” – Attitude
You can see LeFou/Gad in action in the clip from Disney Movie Trailers below. In the trailer description it mentions the stars of the movie:
Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle;
Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp
Apparently LeFou releases some of his suffering during the song and dance.
But this is apparently not the ground breaking, earth shattering Disney LGBT historic scene.
Condon describes the creation and display of this character … “It may have been a long time coming but this is a watershed moment for Disney.”
“By representing same-sex attraction in this short but explicitly gay scene, the studio is sending out a message that this is normal and natural – and this is a message that will be heard in every country of the world, even countries where it’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay.
He adds: “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. 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.’ – Attitude
We will have to wait and see what comes of this, how risky the scene is, and if it makes sense.
My first thoughts are ugh. If being LGBT is normal and natural, why does it always seem that we have to be portrayed by the comic relief, expendable, physically humorous, side kick all the freaking time? Yes, we can be funny, exciting, good at songs, but is that all we are? I guess it is easier to accept us if you are laughing at us, I mean with us? No, it's at us.
What would have happened if they had made Maurice gay? Crazy old Maurice. HE could have been a single dad, right? Raising an intelligent empowered daughter. Damn, that would have been good.
My second thought is don't they have the roles reversed? With stories as fresh as from last year titled Are Luke Evans & Jon Kortajarena Getting Back Together, we are reminded that Luke is on our team. And you may be surprised, but the theatrical and musical Josh is married to a woman and has children. No, we don't mind straight actors playing gay and vice versa, but will Disney do the deed make the love affair come true between LeFou and Gaston? Remembering from our childhood, we believe Gaston dies at the end of Beauty and the Beast. At least that is what it seemed at the end of the animated one, right? Will we have a LeFou, nursing back to health a recovering Gaston, finally get his man he's lusted after forever?
And then there's a third thought. Maybe Maurice will be gay as well as LeFou and we'll have a May-December love affair.
In all seriousness, we are happy that Disney is portraying LeFou as the gay man we all knew he was, making my first point kind of null and void. Come on, we all wanted to be LeFou so we could look at Gaston's full chest of hair, lick those boots, and massage those muscles after he won a sporting competition. Okay, I just lost myself in a Disney porn again.
We shall have to wait and see.
h/t: Attitude