Chris Evans Slams ‘Idiots’ Criticising The Gay Kiss In New Disney Film Lightyear
Image: Chris Evans voices the character of Buzz Lightyear in the new Disney film 'Lightyear'.
Actor Chris Evans has spoken out in response to criticism about the same-sex kiss that’s featured in the latest Disney and Pixar animated film Lightyear.
Evans voices the main character, Buzz Lightyear in the film and has been nonplussed by those who have expressed anger towards a scene which shows Buzz’s fellow astronaut Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) kissing her partner of the same sex.
The film has been banned in a number of countries including in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Malaysia, and Indonesia. On Monday, The United Arab Emirates’ National Media Council said that Lightyear will not be screened in cinemas due to a “violation of the country’s media content standards.”
‘Pay Them No Mind’
In an interview with Variety, the actor said that “there’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold onto what as before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human.”
Evans asserted that it was an “honour to be a part of something that is taking those steps”, while addressing the fact that it’s been a long time coming to get to a place like this and being “shocked that it took us this long to get there.” He applauded the depiction of a gay couple and dismissed negative criticisms of queer representation in the Pixar animation.
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Evans told Reuters, “The real truth is those people are idiots.”
“Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good. There’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before,” said Evans.
Disney’s Self Censorship Fails
Lightyear was subjected to Disney censorship, with the same-sex kiss initially being cut from the storyline. It was reinstated after Pixar animators penned an open letter alleging that management had demanded cuts from “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection… regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.”
The criticism of censoring LGBTQI+ representation was described by Pixar employees as dire where they wrote, “We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were. Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it.”
Disney had been at the centre of controversy over its financial support of legislators behind the “Don’t Say Gay” bill pushed by Florida politicians which prohibits teaching LGBTQ subjects in schools. Disney was also targeted by US conservatives over the queer story lines in its films.
‘Eternals’ Is The Real Deal, As Disney & Marvel Refuse To Bow To Homophobes
While the reinstatement of the kiss between Hawthorne and her wife is a win for the queer community, some countries around the world have decided against screening the film in cinemas.
Last year, Disney and Marvel had refused to cut a gay kiss from Eternals, which resulted it being being banned in some countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
Lightyear is now showing in cinemas.
It would be worth mentioning that it looks like Australia is screening a kiss free version. Certainly the kiss wasn’t there when I saw it Thursday, or in the media screening in Melbourne earlier in the week.