Page 31 - aruba-today-20170304

PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Saturday 4 March 2017

Subtle (very) ‘gay moment’ in new Disney film generates buzz

JOCELYN NOVECK
AP National Writer
To be clear: “Broke-
back Mountain,” this
isn’t.The so-called
“gay moment” in Dis-
ney’s new live-action
version of “Beauty and
the Beast” is subtle —
so subtle that one
could easily miss it with
an ill-timed sneeze or
glance away from the
screen. And it may
sail over the heads of
young viewers.
But the cast and di-
rector say it is indeed
a gay moment —one
they’re proud of. And
advocates are calling
it a big step forward for
Disney and for youth
entertainment.
Mere word of it was
also enough to lead
one Alabama drive-
in theater to cancel
plans to show the film
— apparently with-
out having seen it,
because it doesn’t
open nationwide until
March 17.The scene in
question involves the This image released by Disney shows Josh Gad as Le Fou, left, and Luke Evans as Gaston in a scene from, “Beauty and the Beast,”
character of LeFou opening nationwide on March 17.
(Josh Gad), the timid
Associated Press

and lovable sidekick but I’m very proud of ed in the media they ing in the spotlight ... who plays a particu-
to the preening vil- it. I think it’s an incred- consume. More and larly tuneful supporting
lain Gaston (Luke Ev- ible moment and it’s more, as studios want It shows the direction character in “Beauty
subtle, but I think it’s to appeal to youth au- America is moving in.” and the Beast,” said
ans). Without spoiling diences, they’re go- A Facebook page that she was “so honored”
too much, it’s safe to effective.”Condon ing to have to include to be a part of the
say that LeFou spends suggested that de- LGBTQ story lines and apparently belongs to moment. “The thing
scriptions of LeFou as characters.”Ellis noted the Henagar Drive-In is, Disney’s not doing
much of the film in the first Disney gay that in the annual sur- Theatre in Henagar, anything all that revo-
Gaston’s thrall, and character went too vey that GLAAD puts lutionary,” she said.
toward the end also far. “I keep saying it’s together on LGBTQ in- Alabama, announced “LGBTQ people have
more like the first gay clusion in movies, “we that the theater won’t always existed, inter-
has a moment — a moment,” he said. “Be- have struggled year be showing the film as racial couples have al-
few seconds, really — cause I think it’s a very after year to find any ways existed. And now
where the same-sex fluid character.” The content in major studio planned because its they’re shining light on
director added: “You films. We’re usually the operators are “first and it. So they’re just repre-
theme is more overt. can’t help but wonder punching bag or the foremost Christians” senting the world the
At the film’s Los Ange- in his adoration of Gas- laughingstock. So this is way it actually is and I
les premiere on Thurs- ton ... (is there) some- an enormous step for- and “will not compro- think that’s spectacu-
thing more going on?” ward for us.” mise on what the Bible lar and necessary.” (In-
day evening, Gad said The length of the scene In the past, many teaches.”“If we can- terracial couples also
he was “very proud” — or scenes, since Le- havespeculated on appear in the film.)
of the scene. Fou’s fluid orientation is what they see as “cod- not take our 11-year- Evans said the scene
hinted at elsewhere — ed” gay characters, old granddaughter in question was “about
“(Director) Bill Condon is not what’s important, or winking references and 8-year-old grand- unity. It’s about never
did an amazing job of said Sarah Kate Ellis, to gay characters or judging a book by its
giving us an opportu- president of GLAAD, themes in Disney and son to see a movie cover, but digging a
the LGBTQ media ad- other youth-oriented we have no business little deeper and un-
nity to create a version vocacy group. films. Ellis said the dif- watching it,” the mes- derstanding to not be
of LeFou that isn’t like “It’s a wonderful step ference here is that fearful of things you
the original ... but that forward,” she said. “we’re moving from sage said. Theater don’t know, people
“And this is incredibly coded, where you operators did not im- that are a little differ-
makes him more hu- important for the youth have to put together mediately respond to ent to you. Fear is not a
man and makes him a of today. They need to the pieces, to this be- good thing to fuel.”q
wonderfully complex see themselves reflect- emails or phone mes-
sages to confirm the
character to some ex- Facebook posting. The
tent,” he said. “And
there’s a moment at theater’s website con-
tinued on Friday to say
the end of the film that the film was coming in
I don’t want to ruin ...
because I want the March.Audra McDon-
ald, the Tony-winning
surprise to be intact, Broadway actress