Beauty and the Beast, which opened on Friday, has angered some conservatives by depicting what its director calls “an exclusively gay moment” for the character LeFou (Josh Gad).
In spite of the far-right loons calling for a boycott of the film, the Disney flick opened to $170 million this weekend in the U.S. setting a new record for a March opening. The movie grossed $350 million worldwide.
Comedian Randy Rainbow responds to the controversy with this parody of the Beauty and the Beast tune, "The Mob Song."
The Late Late Show's James Corden literally stopped traffic this week with his latest "Crosswalk Musical"- Beauty and the Beast.
This "production" Corden gets some experienced help thanks to three stars of the new live-action version of the musical - Luke Evans, Dan Stevens and Josh Gad.
But, of course, the coveted role of "Belle" goes the curvaceous Corden himself. Hilarious.
According to a new interview in Attitude Magazine with Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon, the upcoming live-action film will feature a subplot revealing a long hidden romance in the fairy tale.
Condon describes the surprise as "Disney’s first ever 'exclusively gay moment' on film."
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 realising that he has these feelings. 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.
Also, in related LGBT news, it seems Howard Ashman, the lyricist for the songs for the animated film, had just been diagnosed with AIDS when he was approached to do the film. It was his idea, apparently, to make the character of "The Beast" one of the two main characters, which was a departure for the traditional story. Ashman saw a parallel to his own situation.
“He (The Beast) 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,” says the filmmaker. “It was a very, very concrete thing that he was doing.”
Watch the new clip from Beauty and the Beast featuring Luke Evans as "Gaston" and Book of Mormon's Josh Gad as "LeFou."
A 90 year old Angela Lansbury once again proved she retains her magic as she surprised the audience last night at a 25th anniversary screening of the hit Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.
A charming, world-wide sensation, the film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and became the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
It won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for its title song.
In 1994, it became the first fully animated Disney film to be adapted into a Broadway musical.
The film has grossed a world-wide total of over $425,000,000.
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.
“Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.
The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe, the wardrobe; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.
Directed by Oscar® winner Bill Condon. Eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the 1991 animated film, providing the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as several new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.
“Beauty and the Beast” will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.
