'Beauty and the Beast' Faces Russian Ban Over Possible 'Gay Propaganda'

“Beauty and the Beast” could be banned in Russia if it’s found to violate a Russian law prohibiting “gay propaganda,” the BBC reports.

Vitaly Milonov, an MP of the United Russia party, has asked the country’s culture minister to screen the film prior to its March 16 Russian release and to “take measures to totally ban” it if the film contains “elements of propaganda of homosexuality.”

A Russian law enacted in 2013 prohibits the spread of “gay propaganda” to minors.

Also Read: Critics Are Mostly Enchanted by Live-Action 'Beauty and the Beast': 'Disney Magic'

Culture minister Vladimir Medinsky noted, “As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law.”

Earlier this week, director Bill Condon told Attitude Magazine that “Beauty and the Beast” would feature an “exclusively gay moment” involving Josh Gad’s character, LeFou, the buddy of vain villain Gaston (Luke Evans).

“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” Condon told the magazine. “He’s confused about what he wants. It’s somebody who’s just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its payoff at the end, which I don’t want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.”

Earlier this week, an Alabama movie theater decided to pull its scheduled screenings of Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast” remake because of the film’s inclusion of a “homosexual character.”

Also Read: Alabama Theater Cancels Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' Remake Due to Gay Characters

“For those that do not know ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is ‘premiering’ their first homosexual character. The producer also says at the end of the movie ‘there will be a surprise for same-sex couples.’ If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it,” a staff member for the Henagar Drive-In Theatre posted on Facebook on Friday.

Emma Watson, Dan Stevens Ooze British Charm at 'Beauty and the Beast' Gala Screening (Photos)

It was all beauty and no beast when Emma Watson and Dan Stevens posed together Thursday for the U.K. launch of Disney's latest live-action remake.
Disney Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Disney
The "Beauty and the Beast" stars epitomized English elegance with a splash of Hollywood glamour at a gala screening in London, England, ahead of the fantasy musical film's March 17 opening.
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Best known for her long-running role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" film series, Watson dazzled like a true princess in a silver eco-friendly Emilia Wickstead gown, which draped down the grassy-like green carpet.
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Watson slips into the role of Belle with ease, opening the film by singing an updated version of the Alan Menken and Howard Ashman classic, "Belle."
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Meanwhile, "Legion" star Stevens, who is completely unrecognizable under The Beast's monstrous visage, was a dashing date in a black suit. Stevens revealed that The Beast's face was created by CGI, while he staggered around set on stilts in a muscle suit.
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"Beauty and the Beast" also stars Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci and Audra McDonald.
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"Dracula Untold" and "The Hobbit" actor Luke Evans plays the villainous Gaston, a hunter on the loose to take Belle for himself.
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Golden Globe, Tony, SAG and countless other awards winner Sir Ian McKellen portrays Cogsworth the Beast's tightly wound and extremely loyal Majordomo.
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Beloved British actress Emma Thompson is perfectly cast as Mrs. Potts, the castle's head of the kitchen, who brings a loving, motherly feel to its cold corridors. She is equally as comforting to Belle and Maurice even after she's transformed into a teapot by the Enchantress.
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Stanley Tucci (left, with Evans), who received an Oscar Best Supporting Actor for 2009's "The Lovely Bones," plays Cadenza the grand piano, a new character who is described as a neurotic maestro.
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Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters," "Chicago," "Kinsey," "Dreamgirls") directs the latest adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale, which was written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos.
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Child star Nathan Mack, appearing as Chip in the Disney fantasy flick, was interviewed by an equally-young reporter on the red carpet at the U.K. screening.
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Estimated to enjoy a huge opening of $120 million-plus, the musical follows in the footsteps of Disney's other live-action fantasy films such as "Alice in Wonderland," "Maleficent," "Cinderella" and "The Jungle Book."
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The “Harry Potter” actress and the “Legion” star join the rest of the cast at the launch of Disney’s live-action musical, which dances into theaters March 17

It was all beauty and no beast when Emma Watson and Dan Stevens posed together Thursday for the U.K. launch of Disney's latest live-action remake.

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Emma Watson, Dan Stevens Ooze British Charm at 'Beauty and the Beast' Gala Screening (Photos)

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