Disney fans around the world are joining the LGBTQ community in celebration today. Multiple outlets and sources are reporting that the live action film Cruella, being released in a matter of days, features the FIRST openly gay character in Disney history.
Cruella, a prequel to the 1961 animated film “101 Dalmatians,” stars Emma Stone as the young Estella de Vil. The film shows us de Vil’s transformation from an aspiring fashion designer to the fur coat wearing dog-napper and criminal. Co-starring Emma Thompson as Baroness Von Hellman, the head of a fashion design house who plays a key role in Estella’s journey. Leaked reviews are universally positive specifically praising Stone’s performance and the outrageous fashion.
Disney’s #Cruella star John McCrea on his character Artie: ‘For me, it’s official – he’s queer’https://t.co/yESQtdZ6Xn pic.twitter.com/9R6NR9dlb0
— Attitude (@AttitudeMag) May 20, 2021
The groundbreaking character is Artie, played by out actor John McCrea. McCrea reportedly has many scenes as a member of Estrella’s entourage. Rotten Tomatoes movie critic Grace Randolph supposedly confirmed the news of the first prominent out Disney character on Twitter after attending an advance screening. She also tweeted that Artie “has several scenes and plays a very important role, including saving another character!”
It’s the character played by John McCrea – he has several scenes and plays a very important role, including saving another character! pic.twitter.com/zC1vMUngIT
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) May 14, 2021
Taking on this history-making role rests on the shoulders of out actor John McCrea, and from early reports McCrea is exactly the person for this honor. A long-time advocate for the LGBTQ community McCrea has starred in the 2018 film “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie,” based on the hit London stage musical of the same name. He also co-starred in “God’s Own Country,” and “Dracula.” Never one to shy away from his identity McCrea spoke to Broadway.com, about being a role model and the importance of representation,
“I fully realize as a young gay man myself that I have a responsibility to speak for those people in the audience who may feel much closer to the outcast,”
There have been hints of an LGBTQ character through the years in Disney films including LeFou in “Beauty and the Beast,” Elsa in “Frozen,” and Merida in “Brave.” Many speculate that the inspiration for Ursula in “The Little Mermaid” was legendary drag queen Divine. Going further back one can also wonder about characters such as Flower in “Bambi” and Bashful in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
We will have to wait until the Cruella review embargo lifts on May 26th for actual confirmation of Artie’s sexuality. Cruella opens in theaters Friday, May 28th. Until then watch the trailer below!
What do you think Instincters, are you ready for more gay characters across the Disney universe? Sound off in the comments below.
Sources: Metro Weekly, The Advocate, Broadway.com
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One track minded Alphabet Community: YAY, QUEER REPRESENTATION!!
Rest of the world (normal people): Who gives a fuck. 🙄
Barely 2% of the population cares. ACCEPT THAT FAGS!
Where did you get those statistic and what do you mean by normal people? 😂
I just don’t understand why as we in a world try not put labels on anyone have to put labels on everyone. Black, white, gay, straight.
I do not begin the sentence “my white, heterosexual husband and I are going on vacation next month.”
Therefore, I do not see the need to here from anyone, that you are black, gay, lesbian, pride, hispanic (which I am) etc. everytime you are doing or saying something.
Everyone should be comfortable enough in their own skin, and in their own decisions in their life, that they do not feel the need to share the intimacies with everyone at all times.
I saw this movie and McCrea was brilliant. Although, I suspect he would be brilliant no matter type of character he played!
Disney Channel actually where the first to introduce LGBTQ characters. Disney+ also has queer characters too and most were played by actual queer actors. The movies are a mix bag. They were either queer coded or have small cameos or one “gay” line that can be edited at homophobic countries. Cruella will be the first to not queer code the gay character or edit him out. He has a big enough role and his queerness does not hinder his actions. He is played by an actual gay actor. So I guess this is Disney Studios official milestone in representing the LGBTQ community. I’m glad John Mcrea got this honor and hopefully it won’t be the last for other LGBTQ actors to get more roles.
LeFou in the Beauty and the Beast live-action movie is totally gay, no speculation about it. They even have him waltzing with another guy in the final scene!
Disney Movies should never allow to feature any gay Character or
moment whatsover
Oh Andrew. Let me guess. Having a gay character will somehow damage a child’s development … or…this impacts a child as having representation of the actual world, even in movies that are fiction.
Or is this something that you just personally, morally, religiously disagree with?
Which one is it?
It is immoral, Disney should keep in mind our children’s innocence. Why do they have to be presented with adult sexual themes of information to appease heterophobic people. Why harm our children and introduce this to them. Looking for future recruits to satiate desires and validate your choices. Children won’t have a choice when others choices are imposed on them.
no child CHOOSES to be gay. you didnt CHOOSE to be straight, you just are. and well, if you think you chose to be straight because those homosexual thoughts you secretly have are wrong, well hunny, I have news for you sweet cheeks, you is gay af. You just struggling with deep rooted internalized homophobia because your church said it wa’s wrong. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I am gayer than a drag queen on the corner of main and center street at the local gay club and JESUS still loves me. BUT if children can watch prince charming save a princess and kiss her just before the movie ends than prince charming can also save a prince, or that princess can be saved by another princess! there is not a single disney movie made for children that has explicit sex scenes for children to witness and it wont begin to start with the presence of all things LGBTQ. if a boy and a girl can hold hands and fall in love on disney or a man and woman can be parents on disney than it is literally no different than if it was replaced with two boys or two girls. if what you are saying is true than children shouldnt even whitness a prince and princess kissing and expressing love and they shouldnt have a man and woman be parents on disney. but they do and you praise it because you praise disney for appeasing homphobic people and you praise the influence you think it has on children to make them think that they have no other choice in the matter. A child never chooses to be gay, the only choice that is presented to them that they have to make is whether they want to fight the heteronormative and be themselves or ignore who they truly are and apease homophobic people. so sweetcheeks, I would really think before you speak more horse dookie in the future
Girrrrrl. First many of those Disney animated classics you watched had lyrics written by a gay man and were animated by LGBTQ people. Second many of these Disney movies imposes hetero relationships among children. And at most very poor examples of relationships. Ariel literally abandoned her culture, family, and mer- people because she has a first sight crush on a guy she’d never met. Belle fell in love with an animal. Jane was smitten by Tarzan’s half naked body. Jack Sparrow in the pirates franchise is a drunk and womanizer. Merida is very rude to her mother. Snow White was underage when she hooked up with the prince. Heck the MCU have super heroes breaking government rules. Wanda held a whole town captive. And these were all straight people! Showing a gay person or a queer relationship on screen is not imposing anything. It’s only showcasing that person/ community. Seeing a gay person or anyone on screen does not force anything onto one person.
What you said makes no sense but ok go off ig. But what about all the hetoro couples in movies, aren’t they pushing their sexuality opon children?Queer/trans people get representation in movies for a reason. I also don’t get where you get the idea that showing lgbt+ characters is considered as sexual themes. Girl I-
bestie what your homophobia is showing
High school musical the musical the series has 2 opening gay characters and the lead girl has two moms.
This isn’t the first out gay character in Disney history. There have been others.