Disney – 2017(LOS ANGELES) — Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast premiered in Hollywood Thursday night, and while you might expect all the talk to be about Emma Watson’s portrayal of Belle, or the whole idea of a live-action Beauty and the Beast to begin with, instead all the talk was about Gaston’s buddy Le Fou.
Director Bill Condon told one publication earlier this week Le Fou, played by Josh Gad, is gay and has a gay moment in the movie. But is he or isn’t he?
“Is he the first gay Disney character? I’ll leave that for audiences to decide,” Gad told ABC Radio Thursday night.
He added, “There’s…a lovely moment at the end of the film that I think I’ll let speak for itself, that, like many of the additions in this movie, I think it’s a beautiful subtle moment that does its job and is left alone.”
Producer Todd Lieberman cautioned viewers not expect a coming out party for Gaston’s sidekick. “I think when people see the movie, they’re going to realize what people are talking about…is way more subtle than anyone expects from reading an article,” he said. “I would encourage people to see the movie and judge for themselves whether it’s as groundbreaking as one might expect or might think.”
Either way, composer Alan Menken, says the live-action movie’s depiction of Le Fou works. “Le Fou was always Le Fou. That’s all I can say,” he said. “I totally buy it, of course, and it makes perfect sense. But it’s up to people to interpret however they’re going to interpret.”
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