Disney’s ‘Onward’ banned in several Middle Eastern countries over same-sex relationship
Lena Waithe voices the studio's first animated LGBTQ character
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Disney’s new film Onward has been banned in several Middle Eastern countries due to a reference about a lesbian relationship.
The new film – which features the voices of the likes of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Ali Wong, Octavia Spencer and Lena Waithe – is currently screening in cinemas.
Waithe – who is best known for starring in Masters of None – will be lending her voice to Disney Pixar’s first ever openly LGBTQ character in an animated film.
In the film, Waithe’s character, Officer Specter, reportedly makes explicit reference to her girlfriend.
Last month, it was reported that Russian distributed have censored the film and removed any reference to the ‘girlfriend’.
And now, according to Deadline, the film has been banned outright in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, over the reference to a same-sex relationship.
Other Middle East markets such as Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt are showing the film.