Beauty & the Beast Bill Condon Addresses Controversial LeFou Moment

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Before the recent discussion around Rachel Zegler’s *Snow White* movie, Disney faced similar criticism with its live-action *Beauty and the Beast*. While Emma Watson played Belle, the film sparked controversy due to the inclusion of a gay character. Now, the director is reflecting on what led to the backlash.

As a big movie fan, I recently read an interview with Bill Condon, the director of *Beauty and the Beast*, and he talked about the whole thing with LeFou being gay. Apparently, it wasn’t a big, intentional statement – it was more of a subtle thing he included. He said it all blew up because of an off-the-cuff comment he made in an interview with a magazine in London. He never meant to suggest he was making some huge change or ‘breaking barriers,’ it was just a small detail that got way more attention than he expected.

Although Condon maintained that LeFou’s LGBT+ representation wasn’t intended to be groundbreaking, he expressed pleasure with the controversy it sparked. He specifically mentioned being pleased that some countries, like Russia, refused to screen the film because of it, and commended Disney for not making any cuts to accommodate those objections.

Bill Condon envisioned LeFou’s character with simpler motivations, seeing the live-action film as an opportunity to give depth to a previously underdeveloped character. He explained that, unlike the animated version, this LeFou is a fully realized person with a clear, though perhaps unconventional, attraction to Gaston. Condon described it as LeFou being the one Gaston *should* be with, since no one else seems interested, and LeFou clearly loves him.

Condon also talked about the classic animated film *Beauty and the Beast*, explaining that the music suggested a romantic connection between Gaston and LeFou. He pointed out that Howard Ashman, who wrote the original score, brought a certain gay sensibility to the film. Condon felt this completed a storyline that had begun with LeFou playfully pulling Gaston into a hug and asking, ‘Too much?’ followed by Gaston glancing around worriedly and replying, ‘Yeah.’

Beauty & The Beast Director Discusses the Pressure of Fandoms in Reviving Stories

Kenneth Condon’s work on *Beauty and the Beast* isn’t his first time bringing a stage musical to the big screen. He’s also directed successful film adaptations of *Chicago* and *Dreamgirls*. Condon explained that adapting these popular musicals comes with the challenge of meeting the expectations of passionate fans. He noted that *Dreamgirls*, originally a completely sung-through show lasting nearly three hours, needed to be adjusted for a film audience. “A movie requires moments of dialogue and breathing room,” he said.

Condon acknowledged that it’s impossible to satisfy all viewers, referencing the criticism he received for removing a song from *Dreamgirls*. However, he believes such changes are sometimes essential. He explained that to truly capture a story in a particular medium, you often need to completely re-evaluate and rebuild your approach.

Beauty and the Beast is now streaming on Disney+.

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2025-10-06 16:07