‘Beauty and the Beast’: Disney Pushes Back on Malaysian Censoring, Will Not Cut ‘Gay Moment’ for Release

Malaysia’s Film Censorship Board has requested Disney to cut the “gay moment” from “Beauty and the Beast” before its release in the Asian country, but Disney is pushing back. The studio will not alter the live-action adaptation of one of its most famous features. Instead, it has pushed the release date to March 30 to allow more time for the board to make a decision on whether or not it will release the movie as is, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Malaysia has very strict laws against homosexuality. In 2010, the Film Censorship Board announced that it would allow the portrayal of homosexuality only if the character “repents” or dies.

Russia was also considering banning the film after director Bill Condon revealed that Josh Gad’s character LeFou has a “nice, exclusively gay moment.” But the Russian culture ministry said the film would be allowed to screen in the country, but only viewers 16 and older will be admitted into screenings. And, two weeks ago, an Alabama theater announced that it would not be screening the movie after hearing Condon’s reveal.

“Beauty and the Beast” opens in theaters in the U.S. this Friday. The re-imagining of the 1991 Disney classic is expected to see a domestic opening above $100 million.