Andreas Deja on gay animated characters

[Rumpelstiltskin]

That would have to be a low budget movie. Considering that a lot of the income comes from small children and their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts who wants to enjoy some great time at the theatre, the absence of these will probably make sure that it's not going to be a blockbuster. Unless it is a huge hit among adults and teenagers who don't care.

Also, making a Disney movie with gay characters for no other reason than to do something new, does not sound like a good idea. If they are gonna include some gay elements, there has to be a very good reason for doing so, and be so important that the script wouldn't work without it.

[DancingCrab]

I don't think so. making the character's sexuality irrelevant is what people are after. You could have something as simple as 2 male or female characters that are clearly a couple with nothing being said for or against homosexuality. But sadly, yes, in this day and age especially with the political divide in the U.S. being greater than it has ever been and THIS being a current hot issue, the film would get buried under all the wrong kind of press.

[toonaspie]

I'll be more shocked if Disney beats Pixar to doing this first.

[Wonderlicious]

Well, I'm not "offended" exactly, but I would like to remind people that openly gay characters could MORE EASILY fit into a Once Upon a Time scenario than a modern day one because regardless of what one believes politically, religiously or even simply morally, homosexuals have been around since humans came into existence. Many cultures didn't have a problem with them until they were converted to Christianity and such. So no, it doesn't need to be set in some "far out fantasy world" to have a basis in our ancient world.

I think the best time and place to do a gay couple though, would be a story in ancient Greece or Rome, since we already KNOW those cultures had nothing really against two men or two women being together.

I was taking into consideration that the "Once Upon a Time" setting was somewhere in a fantastical version of Europe between the Middle Ages and the 19th Century, about as sexually repressive as environments can possibly get. Likewise, having mighty absolutist monarchs in a film set nowadays would seem odd, as it isn't the current norm. Of course, if a story set in some historical society where homosexuality was accepted was chosen, then it would undeniably make more sense.

[KubrickFan]

I don't think so. making the character's sexuality irrelevant is what people are after. You could have something as simple as 2 male or female characters that are clearly a couple with nothing being said for or against homosexuality. But sadly, yes, in this day and age especially with the political divide in the U.S. being greater than it has ever been and THIS being a current hot issue, the film would get buried under all the wrong kind of press.

They unfortunately have to walk a very tight rope to pull this off properly. Make it too "in your face", then all sorts of people might object. Do the opposite, and they might get some angry reactions from the opposite camp.
Of course, the best way to do it is just to do it, without overemphasizing it, without stereotyping it, without it feeling forced. If they can do that, it could turn out great, and few would rally against it, I think.

[disneyprincess11]

I don't think so. making the character's sexuality irrelevant is what people are after. You could have something as simple as 2 male or female characters that are clearly a couple with nothing being said for or against homosexuality. But sadly, yes, in this day and age especially with the political divide in the U.S. being greater than it has ever been and THIS being a current hot issue, the film would get buried under all the wrong kind of press.

Yeah, you know how parents, the press, and the Christian media (no offense to other Christians, I am 1 too, so I know how we would do it) are. They'll be like, "WAAAAAH! GAAYYY PEOPLE! GAAY PEOPLE! DISNEY IS TRYING TO BRAINWASH OUR KIDS. OMIGEE! OMIGEE!"

After all, you did see people in general's reaction about Tiana and Naveen, being a interratical (or whatever how it's spelled) couple. They freaked out...in a bad way.

[Disney's Divinity]

That sounds nice, but I don't really expect anything like this to happen in the next 10-20 years. Especially at Disney, which has only just managed to get back into a funk.

If they did do it, I would hope it had a fantastical vibe--a la fairy tale, myth, etc.

Btw, just googled Rich Ross. Would never have known that. Nice smile though.

[pinkrenata]

I don't see any reason why Disney couldn't use a gay character/couple in a <i>supporting</i> role in the very near future. I can't imagine there being any lead characters happening for a very long time, however. Unfortunately, no matter how Disney feels on the subject matter, having a gay lead character(s) would be the equivalent to shooting themselves in the foot. (If studios have feet, that is.)

Say, how about a musical extravaganza about the Isle of Lesbos?

[Lazario]

Put me down on the list for people who could tell Deja was gay.

I thought he would never admit it publically, though.

[WilbyDaniels]

WHY??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[WonderlandFever]

Put me down on the list for people who could tell Deja was gay.

I thought he would never admit it publically, though.

LOL I always thought it was known he was gay I was surprised that most people didn't know

[Lazario]

WHY???????????

I'm more interested in why
someone would purposefully
post a reply that stretches
out the entire page, making
it a pain to read and forcing
me to have to write like this.

[Semaj]

Put me down on the list for people who could tell Deja was gay.

I thought he would never admit it publically, though.

LOL I always thought it was known he was gay I was surprised that most people didn't know

I'm always among the last to know these things for some reason.

Disney has used gay characters via sitcoms on ABC.

[Disneyphile]

After all, you did see people in general's reaction about Tiana and Naveen, being a interracial (spelling corrected) couple. They freaked out...in a bad way.

There's no PC way to say what I'm about to say, so I'll just say it and hope the backlash isn't too bad.

I think that it was only certain members of the black audience who had a problem with Tiana not marrying within her race.

[Semaj]

I think that it was only certain members of the black audience who had a problem with Tiana not marrying within her race.

Not me. How many Black men aspire to be Disney princes?

[WonderlandFever]

After all, you did see people in general's reaction about Tiana and Naveen, being a interracial (spelling corrected) couple. They freaked out...in a bad way.

There's no PC way to say what I'm about to say, so I'll just say it and hope the backlash isn't too bad.

I think that it was only certain members of the black audience who had a problem with Tiana not marrying within her race.

Trust me, there would have been a huge outcry if it was a black prince marrying a white princess...but interracial couples are nothing new

[ajmrowland]

I actually didn't know Andreas Deja was in fact gay, let alone the fact that Disney would be more than WILLING to do a family movie with a gay couple.

same

[SpringHeelJack]

WHY???etc.

I thought it was common knowledge that Andreas was gay. Maybe I just assumed.

[Elladorine]

I thought it was common knowledge that Andreas was gay. Maybe I just assumed.

I thought so as well. Hasn't he brought his partner to award ceremonies in the past?

[SpringHeelJack]

I thought it was common knowledge that Andreas was gay. Maybe I just assumed.

I thought so as well. Hasn't he brought his partner to award ceremonies in the past?

I think he did. I mean, honestly, I don't even remember when I first HEARD he was gay. It's something I remember just sort of knowing for years, at least since I graduated high school in '05. For all I know, I might have even read about it on here ages ago.