Josh Gad’s LeFou in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ live-action is the first openly gay character, is a nod towards Howard Ashman
3 March 2017 Entertainment News
Fourth Estate Staff
Hollywood, CA, United States (4E) – Josh Gad plays the role of LeFou on the live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast” and reports confirmed he is the first openly gay character in a Disney flick and is a nod towards Howard Ashman.
The director of the remake, Bill Condon, said LeFou is a small but significant subplot because the character wants to be Gaston on some days but on other days he wants to kiss Gaston, played by Luke Evans. Condon added, "And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that's what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."
Gad then took to Twitter to say he is beyond proud to be part of making a Disney history. Ashman, a lyricist for the original flick who died before the 1991 “Beauty and the Beast” classic film was released, is the reason behind the first openly gay character in a Disney blockbuster.
Condon is openly gay himself and said the gay community has had a long history with Disney princess movies. Ashman worked with Alan Menken and was fighting AIDS when he worked for “Beauty and the Beast.” Condon said Ashman believes “Beauty and the Beast” was a metaphor for AIDS especially the fact that Beast shut himself away from the society.
Condon continued to explain, “He was cursed, and this curse had brought sorrow on all those people who loved him, and maybe there was a chance for a miracle—and a way for the curse to be lifted. It was a very concrete thing that he was doing.”
“Beauty and the Beast” will be out in theaters this March.
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