Fans upset by Disney’s casting choice of first major gay character
photo via Jack Whitehall Instagram

Fans upset by Disney’s casting choice of first major gay character

Jungle Cruise will reportedly feature the first major gay character in a Disney film. However, there is controversy around the casting as the character will be played by Jack Whitehall, a straight man.

Whitehall announced on Instagram that he will be joining the cast alongside Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in the film based on the Disney theme park ride.

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Whitehall will play Blunt’s brother, who according to a report by The Sun, is “a gay man – one who is hugely effete, very camp and very funny.”

Consequently, many people are outraged that Disney reportedly cast a straight man to play the first major character who is openly gay in a film.

 

 

 

 

 

Some people also are relating the situation to a recent controversy with Scarlett Johansson. Johansson was set to play a character who is transgender in Rub And Tug, but left the film due to backlash.

 

 

Disney nor Whitehall have confirmed that his character is gay.

If this is confirmed, it will not actually be the first gay character in a Disney film, as LeFou in Beauty And The Beast was gay. However, Whitehall’s character would be the first major character to be gay.

Jungle Cruise is set to be released October 2019.