When I first heard that they were making a live action Beauty and the Beast, I honestly was not surprised nor excited, seeing as it the new trend Disney is following since the success of movies such as Maleficent and Cinderella. However, with an idol such as Emma Watson as the lead I will say I've kept my ear perked for more news about the new movie. Recently it was announced that Disney is exploring a new adventure, in FINALLY including an explicitly stated gay character in the movie.... This guy:
Lefou, Gaston's right hand... henchman? The director of the of the new movie, Bill Condon stated:
“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston. He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh [Gad] makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its pay-off at the end, which I don’t want to give away.”
And while this all good and dandy, let's be honest the real couple we were hoping to be 'canonically' gay was Lumiere and Cogsworth.
Now, the movie, being a romance in itself didn't need nor have any explicitly said LGBTQ characters but it's nice to see Disney again FINALLY answering the call for LGBTQ representation. Now I know what you may be thinking, "Wasn't Lumiere with Babette?" to which I say there is the wonderful saying "Depending on the day, the French go either way!"
Also it just fits with the interactions between Cogsworth and Lumiere, from bickering like an old couple... to more bickering, and just being basically the step in fathers to Belle while she is at Beast's castle, these two would have been great to see in the new movie in such a manner.
While, it would have been preferred by some to not have Lefou be a villian and gay, I think it is great! I think in the end it shows that the LGBTQ community is just like everyone else, they can be the good guys and the bad guys regardless of their sexual orientation. While we know how the original story ends for Gaston, I hope that in at least this movie Lefou finds himself and his own happy ending.
Regardless, I'm extraordinarily excited to see this movie, I really hope that this movie will do both the original story justice as well as showing representation of the LGBTQ community as it is: normal. Just a normal part of society, because that is what we are. We are people just like everyone else, falling in love in a story that is as old as time!
Watch the Beauty and the Beast Trailer Below:
