Josh Gad Responds to Controversy Over Gay ‘Beauty + The Beast’ Character
Got a problem with the fact that the forthcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast will feature a gay character in LeFou? Perhaps you should remember the point of the story, Josh Gad, who plays the character, told People.
Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon told Attitude in February that LeFou will come to terms with his feelings for Gaston in the film, which is due out on March 17. The remark was met with backlash from conservative groups and bloggers (it bears mentioning that neither allusions to bestiality nor the glorification of Stokholm Syndrome had the same effect, though). Certain theaters even refused to play the movie, according to USA Today, and now, Gad's urging anyone who's speaking out against the film to examine why.
"What I would say is that this film is one of inclusiveness,” he said. “It’s one that has something to offer everyone.”
Gad acknowledged that "there is so much fear out there of that which we don’t understand that which we don’t know," and said Gaston, himself, is meant to caution against fear-mongering.
“You have a character in Gaston who uses his charm offensive to whip other people into a frenzy to go and attack somebody they’ve never met," he said. "Somebody that’s different. Somebody that only represents a danger because [Gaston] says that he represents a danger.”
And Luke Evans, who plays Gaston, added that judging a book — or movie — by its cover is always unwise.
"Digging a little deeper and understanding to not be fearful of things you don’t know or people who look a little different to you...fear is not a good thing to fuel," he said. "And Gaston is responsible for that. But he fails — he fails miserably, and everybody finds love. Everyone!"
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