Disney Pulls ‘Beauty and the Beast’ From Malaysia Over Censored ‘Gay Moment’

Walt Disney has postponed the release of its new film, “Beauty and the Beast,” after film censors in Malaysia insisted on cutting what director Bill Condon referred to as a “gay moment.”

The two main theater chains in Malaysia were set to premiere the film on Thursday, minus a minor gay scene, before receiving word of the studio’s decision to pull the film. According to the Guardian, chairman of the Malaysian film censorship board, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid did not know why the studio had pulled the movie.

READ MORE: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Review: Disney’s Animated Classic Gets A Needless Makeover

“We have approved it but there is a minor cut involving a gay moment. It is only one short scene but it is inappropriate because many children will be watching this movie,” Abdul Halim said.

The so-called “gay moment” in question presumably involves a few seconds where the character LeFou (Josh Gad), sidekick to the villain Gaston (Luke Evans), is seen dancing with a man. The ironic part is that Gad plays the character very flamboyantly throughout the film, and there is more than one “gay moment,” if you know where to look.

The decision comes after theaters in Russia approved the movie but banned it for children under 16.

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