Moviegoers in Malaysia may not be able to see Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” even after censors removed one brief scene they found offensive involving a gay supporting character, Variety reported Tuesday.
“Malaysian news site The Star Online quoted Disney’s Malaysian arm as saying that release had been put off pending an ’internal review,’ ” the trade magazine said.
The decision to indefinitely delay the release of the live-action musical romance is apparently Disney’s, but Variety notes that officials with the company declined to respond for comment.
The scene cut by the majority-Muslim country’s censors apparently involved supporting character LeFou, played by Josh Gad, admitting his homosexual attraction for the character Gaston. Variety explains that Malaysian censors permit movie characters to be depicted as gay but only if they are shown in a negative light or as repentant of their sexuality.
According to The Associated Press, homosexuals in Malaysia can be punished by whipping and up to 20 years imprisonment.
Last week, the Russian Ministry of Culture classified the live-action musical romance as unsuitable for audiences under the age of 16. Since 2013, the Russian Federation has a law on the books forbidding the promotion of pro-gay “propaganda” in a way that could influence children.
• Ken Shepherd can be reached at kshepherd@washingtontimes.com.
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