'Beauty and the Beast' will introduce Disney's first gay character
What's the story
The "tale as old as time" is getting one major update. It has been confirmed that the upcoming live-action remake of the animated fairy-tale classic film 'Beauty and the Beast' will introduce Disney's first openly gay character. Bill Condon, the film's director, said the character LeFou (played by Josh Gad) would be openly gay. The film releases in India on March 17.
Quote
What director Condon said about LeFou's character
"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston. He's confused about what he wants" and is "just realizing that he has these feelings." This leads to an "exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."
Landmark moment
Why LeFou's representation in the upcoming film matters
Disney films might have hinted at homosexuality previously. There was speculation over the sexuality of Elsa from 'Frozen'. However, LeFou's presence as the first openly gay character represents a landmark moment having the potential of impacting Disney's global audience. This is more crucial in countries which lag behind in recognizing LGBT rights and where LGBT representation is non-existent or less visible on screen.
Personal
'Beauty and the Beast' features ensemble cast
The film features an ensemble cast which includes Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as The Beast/Prince Adam, Luke Evans as Gaston, Kevin Kline as Maurice, Ewan McGregor as Lumière, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.