'Fire Island' Star, Writer Joel Kim Booster on Disney's 'Don't Say Gay' Controversy Ahead of Film's Hulu Debut

Out comic Joel Kim Booster's new film "Fire Island," a gay comedy that also stars Bowen Yang and is based on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," will be distributed on Disney's recently acquired Searchlight Pictures and will make its debut on Hulu on June 3 (the Mouse House owns the majority of the streamer). Now Booster is talking about the partnership amid the controversy that Disney has financially supported Florida Republican lawmakers who helped create and support the "Don't Say Gay" measure, which was recently signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

"It's something that weighs on me really heavily, the responsibility of making, first off, a good and honest movie and something that felt authentic and real to the gay experience, and then to know that it's being produced through many pipelines to Disney," Booster told Entertainment Weekly. "We live in a society and we have to make concessions in order to get things done.

"For me, I'm so grateful that this movie is going to be seen by so many people and, in that way, hopefully will help queer kids who see themselves in these characters to feel good and affirmed," he continued. "I don't know really what else to say. It's not a great answer. I'm sort of waffling here, but it's tough. It's not something I'm happy about. I'll say that."

After fans and employees called out Disney for its support, the company walked back its stance with CEO Bob Chapek apologizing to the LGBTQ+ community and vowing to get the law repealed.

The "Don't Say Gay" law, formally called the Parental Rights in Education Act, prohibits discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms from kindergarten to grade 3 in Florida public school districts. It also states or instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not "age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students" in any grade is also prohibited.

Click here to learn more about "Fire Island" and check out the trailer below.