Alabama movie theatre bans Beauty and the Beast over gay scene

ONE scene of Disney’s most-anticipated remake has led to an Alabama theatre refusing to show the movie over the studio’s first homosexual character.

A MOVIE theatre in the US state of Alabama is refusing to screen Beauty and the Beast after it was revealed one of the movie’s main characters is gay.

“It is with great sorrow that I have to tell our customers that we will not be showing Beauty and the Beast at the Henagar Drive-In when it comes out,” the company wrote on its Facebook page this week.

“When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine.”

“For those that do not know Beauty and the Beast is ‘premiering’ their first homosexual character … If we cannot take our 11-year-old granddaughter and eight year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it,” they added.

Josh Gad stars as Gaston's sidekick LeFou, Disney’s first LGBT character.

The decision came after Bill Condon, director of Disney’s newest live-action remake, revealed Gaston’s sidekick LeFou was going to be gay in the movie.

“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” Condon told Attitude magazine. “He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realising that he has these feelings.”

Condon also revealed there would be “a nice, exclusively gay moment in the Disney movie.”

LeFou, Disney’s first openly gay character, is played by actor Josh Gad, who is best known for voicing the beloved snowman Olaf in the blockbuster cartoon Frozen.

In less than 24 hours, Henagar Drive-In’s Facebook post had received close to 2,000 shares and 5,800 likes.

Due to mounting public pressure, the theatre has since deleted the post.

The Facebook post claiming they'd be refusing to screen the movie.

“I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision,” the statement ended. “That’s fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language. Thank you for your support!”

Beauty and the Beast, which also stars Emma Watson, is due in Australian cinemas on March 23.

Originally published as Alabama movie theatre bans Beauty and the Beast over gay scene