Josh Gad Thinks Disney Did Not Properly Represent First Gay Character

In April 2014, Disney announced plans to create a live-action adaptation of their popular animation thriller "Beauty and the Beast." The film had an ensemble of talented actors, including Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad were brought on to play vital roles.

From May to August 2015, filming took place mainly at Shepperton Studios in England. It is one of the costliest films ever created, with an estimated budget of over $255 million. Following its debut in 2017, the film made news for an "exclusively homosexual moment" starring LeFou (Josh Gad), the wicked Gaston's feeble-minded lackey (Luke Evans).

In a recent interview with The Independent, Gad has described that moment stating that the showrunners did not put out their best legs.

Disney hired director Bill Condon to steer the "Beauty And The Beast's" live adaptation. His masterful leading helped turn the movie into box office success after its debut in the theaters. During the press tour that preceded the film's release, Condon teased a scene from the movie that involved LeFou dancing with another man right before the credits rolled.

Gad is now apologetic about the underutilization of his character as Disney's first authentic LGBTQ+ depiction.

"We didn't go far enough to warrant accolades," he recently told The Independent. "We didn't go far enough to say, 'Look how brave we are.' My regret in what happened is that it became 'Disney's first explicitly gay moment,' and it was never intended to be that. It was never intended to be a moment that we should laud ourselves for because frankly, I don't think we did justice to what a real gay character in a Disney film should be."

The suggestion that a beloved cartoon character might be homosexual sparked debate before "Beauty and the Beast's" debut. Some theaters outrightly declined to show the film, while others placed some steep restrictions that prevented the movie from being watched by viewers across all ages.

Condon then changed his mind in the aftermath of the backlash, calling the scene's coverage "overblown." At the film's premiere, Gad also told USA Today that the screenplay didn't directly reveal LeFou's sexuality as gay.

"That was not LeFou," Gad added during his conversation with The Independent. "If we're going to pat ourselves on the back, then damn it, we should have gone further with that. Everybody deserves an opportunity to see themselves on screen, and I don't think we've done enough—and I certainly haven't done enough to do that."

Gad was supposed to make his return as LeFou in a Disney+ prequel series, where he would have reconnected with some stars from "Beauty and The Beast" as well as star alongside other talented actors and crew.

However, owing to creative difficulties, Disney had to postpone the project early this year. "We tried to make it all work, but under the gun, it wasn't meant to be…for now," Gad said in a tweet. "These characters and this story will live on, but sometimes the best intentions & reality collide & nothing can be done."

The actor further added in the comment section that he hoped that the series would ultimately hit the screen when the cast members and showrunners could work out the scheduling conflicts.

Fans responded to Gad's post, showing mixed emotions about the postponement of the production process.

One fan said, "Look, I get it. But, the Live-Action movie is the best Disney movie ever made. We don't need a Prequel. Just please stop while you're ahead Disney."

Another fan wrote, "That is the great hope, it isn't possible now, but in the future, it will be!"

One more follower penned," I hope this eventually gets made when the timing is right. I love these characters so much.

Disney is yet to give a return date to produce the prequel. In the meantime, Gad features as the main cast in a comedy-drama miniseries "Wolf Like Me."