Title: Josh Gad Remains Embarrassed Over Disney's Emphasis on Beauty and the Beast's "Exclusively Gay Moment"
We've voyaged quite a distance since Disney's supposedly groundbreaking "gay moment" with LeFou in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, only to find the mouse-eared empire cutting LGBTQ+ storylines once more in an attempt to cater to conservative parents. And now, eight years later, LeFou's starring role in this controversial dance is shedding new light on the situation.
As expressed in his recent memoir, In Gad We Trust, Josh Gad, our beloved LeFou, was taken aback by the media's uproar following the movie's release. Gad acknowledged his character was never meant to act as a beacon for the LGBTQ+ community, and when discussing the "quasi-villainous Disney sidekick dancing with a man for half a second," he penned, "I mean, if I were gay, I’m sure I’d be pissed."
In retrospect, the moment, characterized as an "exclusively gay moment" by Bill Condon, director of the film, felt more like a subtle nod than an intentional burst of representation. Gad emphasized his desire to avoid throwing the weight of sexuality upon the character, skewing the movie's narrative. However, Condon's framing of the moment transformed it into a media frenzy, sparking controversy as conservative zealots objected to the concept of dancing men (a sight seemingly never before displayed in Disney movies) and Disney itself eagerly capitalizing upon this minor speck of queer representation.
Regretfully, Disney has found itself in a similar predicament on numerous occasions since, claiming the "first openly gay character" multiple times while barely stepping up for LGBTQ+ figures beyond these fleeting, token gestures. Devoid of substantial queer characters or plots, Disney didn't exactly earn accolades for its "commitment to diversity and inclusion."
"Had the audience defined it as a sweet, exclusively gay moment, I would have been delighted," concluded Gad, "but the second we pointed it out and seemingly congratulated ourselves, we had invited hell and fury."
The wheel turns full circle as Disney now faces the flak for cowardice instead of any other reproach.
Dive deeper into tomorrow's Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek premieres, unveil the DC Universe's future on both the big and small screen, and explore the future of our favorite Time Lord's adventures.
In the future, io9 might anticipate significant representation of LGBTQ+ characters in upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek movies, aiming to rectify past criticism. Despite Disney's past controversies, technology continues to advance, allowing movie producers to create more diverse and inclusive storylines.
