The Magnificence and the Beast remake was a standout for its finest authentic moments like giving Belle’s mother a backstory and Beast’s new authentic track “Evermore.” Nevertheless, the Disney live-action remake obtained controversy when Gaston’s sidekick, LeFou, turned a part of Disney historical past’s LGBTQIA+ illustration for having the “first homosexual second.” Actor Josh Gad clarifies how his character’s queerness got here collectively for the remake.
LeFou was the loyal servant to one of many finest live-action Disney villains, Gaston. Performed by Josh Gad, the Disney sidekick was launched because the studio’s first homosexual character on the massive display after the mistreated servant is seen dancing with one other man for 3 seconds of the movie’s ending. Nevertheless, the Frozen voice actor wrote in regards to the controversy of his character in his memoir In Gad We Belief (through EW) with an understanding of why some LGBTQIA+ followers weren’t glad with Disney’s try at illustration:
I for one actually did not precisely really feel like LeFou was who the queer group had been wistfully ready for. I am unable to fairly think about a Satisfaction celebration in honor of the ‘cinematic watershed second’ involving a quasi-villainous Disney sidekick dancing with a person for half a second. I imply, if I have been homosexual, I am certain I might be pissed.
On the time of its launch, the Christian-owned Henagar Drive-In theater banned Magnificence and the Beast from being proven in addition to censorship in international locations like Russia, Malaysia, and Kuwait due to the insinuated same-sex attraction LeFou exhibits for Gaston. Nevertheless, the true controversy got here when director Invoice Condon mentioned in his 2017 interview with Perspective that LeFou is a personality who doesn’t know whether or not he merely idolizes Gaston or is in love with him, making the remake’s new addition “a pleasant, solely homosexual second in a Disney film.” Josh Gad identified that “we had invited hell and fury” when Disney congratulated themselves on an ambiguous LGBTQIA second that wasn’t actually explored.
The Annie Award winner mentioned that earlier than manufacturing started on Magnificence and the Beast, the artistic staff obtained collectively to resolve on what stage of affection LeFou had for Gaston. Right here was the choice they got here up with:
…in the end landed on the facet of LeFou was really in awe of Gaston, and that was not pushed by any sexual need by any means however moderately a deep-seated love, appreciation, and perception on this particular person he had served alongside in battle for a few years.
Contemplating the artistic staff determined that LeFou’s love for Gaston was extra in admiration and never in something sexual, it’s complicated why Invoice Condon would later name LeFou’s infatuation together with his grasp “an solely homosexual second.” Possibly again then, it was Disney’s manner of making an attempt to be inclusive however not totally realizing how. Luckily, Disney has slowly been introducing the LGBTQIA+ group beginning as background characters to ultimately introducing the first overtly homosexual most important character in 2022’s Unusual World.
By way of the place Josh Gad stands on the heated problem, he talked about that he “by no means as soon as” performed LeFou as homosexual. On the similar time, he would have been “delighted” to painting the Disney sidekick as queer if that was the route the artistic staff went in. Whereas Gad was chargeable for developing with LeFou’s broadly talked-about ending of him dancing with one other man, the American actor mentioned he noticed that extra as a “enjoyable blink-and-you’ll-miss-it little beat.” Because the villainous Gaston dies on the finish of the film, you possibly can see LeFou dancing with one other man as a strategy to set up his newfound independence away from his conceited grasp.
Josh Gad has beforehand mentioned he regretted that second being promoted as “solely homosexual” in not going far sufficient to convey justice to an actual homosexual character. If queer audiences watching wished to see themselves in Magnificence and the Beast, extra might have been performed to make that occur than a number of seconds of a same-sex dancing scene.
LeFou’s queerness might have come collectively in an try and be inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ group, however it additionally introduced dissatisfaction to some for being too ambiguous and offering little significance. By way of this transient, unexplored illustration in Magnificence and the Beast, the Disney remake proved itself to be the stepping stone in the direction of higher inclusivity that might later observe upcoming Disney films.
Watch Josh Gad as LeFou within the musical romance fantasy enjoying in your Disney+ subscription. It’s also possible to learn his memoir In Gad We Belief obtainable for buy on Amazon or your native bookstore.