'Beauty & The Beast' Director Says 'Exclusively Gay Moment' in the Film Has Been 'Overblown'

The Beauty and the Beast director says the “gay moment” in the upcoming film is being over-dramatized.

Director Bill Condon first shared in a recent interview with Attitude Magazine that Josh Gad‘s LeFou would have an “exclusively gay moment” in the upcoming film, making him Disney’s first openly gay character.

However, Bill is now downplaying his remarks, feeling as if too much has been made over this situation.

“Oh God. Can I just tell you? It’s all been overblown. Because it’s just this, it’s part of just what we had fun with,” Bill told ScreenCrush. “Why is it a big deal?”

Since Bill first announced that LeFou would have this “gay moment,” the film has received some backlash with an Alabama-based theater canceling screenings and Russia reportedly considering not playing the film at all due to their strict “gay propaganda” laws.

Beauty and the Beast is set to hit theaters on March 17.