A scene that featured the first same-sex kiss in Star Wars franchise history has been cut in Singapore, Deadline has confirmed. In Singapore, gay sex is illegal and the government does not recognize same-sex marriage.
A spokesperson for the country’s media authority the Infocomm Media Development Authority told the BBC that the scene was removed from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker so the film would remain at a PG13 level. The IMDA’s website says PG13 movies are “Suitable for persons aged 13 and above but parental guidance is advised for children below 13.”
It’s unclear what the rating would have been had the scene, which comes near the end of the Disney/Lucasfilm pic that bowed December 20; the camera pans by fairly quickly. Disney did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
The country’s G, PG and PG13 ratings are advisory and are not age restrictive, meaning parents and guardians can decide whether to allow their children to watch. The country has three more restrictive ratings than PG13: NC16 (no children under 16), M18 (suitable for 18 and above) and R21 (for adults 21 and over).
The scene was not edited in nearby China, according to Deadline sources. In North America, the MPAA rated The Rise of Skywalker but only for “sci-fi violence and action.”
Similar edits in overseas territories have been made to recent films depicting homosexuality. The Elton John biopic Rocketman was banned in Samoa for clashing with the country’s “culture and our Christian beliefs,” and scenes from that film involving gay sex and drug use were edited in Russia to conform the Russian Federation’s legislation against homosexual propaganda.
Similar edits were made in some countries on Bohemian Rhapsody about the life of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.