Another out actor is joining the cast of Disney+'s upcoming Beauty and the Beast prequel series Little Town!
According to a report from Deadline, gay Irish actor Fra Free (who you probably know from Marvel Studios' recent Hawkeye show, also on Disney+) is joining the cast of the highly-anticipated musical series that is going to be focusing on the friendship between LeFou (Josh Gad) and Gaston (queer heartthrob Luke Evans), as well as LeFou's step-sister Tilly (Briana Middleton). Fra is set to play Prince Benoit Berlioz, who Deadline describes as "a childhood friend of Tilly's who has grown into a handsome, charismatic, confident prince" in Little Town, which was created by Once Upon a Time's Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis and will be directed by Respect's Liesl Tommy.
Although we don't know know if his character will be queer or not, we always love to see multiple out actors being a part of a mainstream, big-budget production like that of Little Town! And Free is probably the most excited of all!
"Thrilled to be joining this," he wrote on Twitter earlier today sharing the news of his casting. "The wee lad who watched the beast turn into the prince repeatedly on VHS is even more so."
And his co-stars are excited to have him on set as well!
"So excited to have the brilliant [Fra Free] joining the epic team for our #BeautyAndTheBeast Prequel series," Josh Gad tweeted about Free's casting. "He was so [damn] good in Hawkeye and we are beyond the thrilled to have him."
Earlier this month, Gad also spilled some major tea on the production of Little Town, and apparently, the show is set to start filming very soon this spring with a projected release date set for some time early in 2023, so it won't be long until we see Evans, Gad, and Free in action on screens!
But Free isn't the only LGBTQ+ actor making waves in the wonderful world of Disney!
As Out previously reported, the upcoming live-action adaptation of Snow White, which is already set to star Westside Story's Rachel Zegler and Wonder Woman's Gal Gadot, just found its male lead in sexually fluid Broadway actor and Tony winner Andrew Burnap, who is probably best known for starring in award-winning gay playwright and screenwriter Matthew Lopez's critically-acclaimed Broadway drama The Inheritance!
With Marc Webb set to direct, Zegler playing the titular role, and Gadot playing the Evil queen, Burnap is reportedly playing a new, original male lead that was created specifically for the modern, live-action version of the beloved 1937 animated classic.
Queer Hollywood just keeps on winning!
RELATED | Ranking Disney's 11 Best Queer, Coming Out Anthems
