British actor Benedict Cumberbatch said on Tuesday he was “disappointed” but not surprised that Saudi Arabia had asked Disney to remove “LGBTQ+ references” from Marvel’s latest film before it could be shown in theaters this week. ultra-conservative realm. “It’s hard not to get emotional about it,” said the English actor, who stars in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, slated for release in early May. “But I fear it is an expected disappointment,” he continued, quoted by the British news agency PA. In the scene in question, which lasts “barely twelve seconds”, lesbian superhero America Chavez refers to her “two moms”, Nawaf Al-Sabhan, the head of Saudi Arabia’s film classification, said on Monday. the Dog, lamented “repressive regimes” notorious for not being inclusive. He adds: “The character is in the original comic, it’s not something we created in the name of diversity. […] He’s an incredible character. And [le fait qu’elle soit lesbienne] is just one aspect of the character. That’s all it should be.”Homosexuality is a potentially capital offense in Saudi Arabia, which takes a very strict interpretation of Islamic law, even though the kingdom has undertaken social reforms in recent times. Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, this conservative Gulf monarchy has opened up to entertainment and major world events, but political and social restrictions remain very strong. In 2017, the authorities lifted the ban of the cinema. So far, the American entertainment giant Disney has replied “not wishing” to proceed with the requested deletions.
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