People Outraged After Disney Casts First Openly Gay Lead Character – But Not for the Reason You'd Think

Emily Jones
08-15-2018

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Disney has reportedly cast its first openly gay lead character in its upcoming film "Jungle Cruise," but many LGBT activists aren't happy.

The Sun reported Tuesday that British actor Jack Whitehall was cast to play a "fun, effete" young man in the film.

While this is an obvious break away from traditional depictions of sexuality and marriage, LGBT fans say there's one big problem – Whitehall isn't gay enough. In fact, he isn't gay at all. He is straight.

They are upset because Disney didn't cast an actual gay man to play the role.

Actor and gay activist Omar Sharif Jr. took to twitter to express his outrage.

"Really @Disney #JungleCruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink," he wrote.

Gay TV host James Barr called the casting "frustrating."

"Super excited about this huge moment for the LGBTQ+ family, and @jackwhitehall is amazing https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/jack-whitehall-gay/ … BUT when so many gay actor friends of mine are turned down for straight roles because there's a "whiff of gay", it's frustrating to cast NonGay people in gay roles," Barr said.

Neither Whitehall nor Disney have confirmed the reports or responded to the controversy.

This isn't the first time Disney has faced backlash over LGBT issues. Last year, concerned parents disapproved of the company’s choice to include LGBT themes in its live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast."

A Mississippi attorney who identifies as a homosexual objected to the decision and said children should not be exposed to adult topics.

"The vision for Walt's world was clear: Entertain children. Disney characters were about hope, optimism and, above all else, making sure children were able to enjoy their innocence for as long as the outside world would permit. And Disney understood that part of its mission was to provide a buffer for as long as possible," he wrote in a column for The Orlando Sentinel last year.

"Somewhere along the line, Disney went off course," he continued. "No longer did it see itself as a defender of children's innocence. Instead, it saw itself as a conduit to social change. Walt Disney became Harvey Milk."

“Jungle Cruise” will hit theaters October 2019.

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle
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