Over the past century, Disney has released countless movies that we have repeatedly rewatched and have come to adore. Several of those animated films have been remade with a live-action cast starring popular actors and actresses, such as Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Emma Stone in Cruella (2021). After almost a century, Disney is ready to take on the iconic 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the oldest and universally beloved Disney film, and trouble is already stirring.
Rachel Zegler, star of West Side Story (2021) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), will play Snow White; Red Notice (2021) and Heart of Stone (2023) actress Gal Gadot will portray the Evil Queen. However, some fans have had problems with the prospective movie, starting with the casting of Snow White.
Most are familiar with the original story of Snow White and know that her pale complexion plays a role in the story. When the casting was initially announced, Zegler became the subject of racist backlash on social media, as fans were upset that a woman of Colombian descent was playing a princess who is described as having skin “as white as snow.” She referred to racist comments about her casting as “nonsensical,” and in response to the hate she received, she expressed pride at playing “a Latina princess.” On X, she posted photos of herself as a child dressed as a princess, writing “I hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what.”
If you haven’t already noticed, the title of the remake has been shortened to Snow White instead of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This was because Disney started to face major retaliation because of the film’s absence of dwarfs. Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage, who has a form of dwarfism, commented on it, saying “I was a little taken aback by [the fact that] they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs…You’re progressive in one way, but you’re still making that –ing backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave. What the — are you doing, man?” These comments from Dinklage prompted Disney to take a different approach. “To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we … have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community,” said a Disney spokesperson. The solution to this problem was ultimately to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create the seven dwarfs and to rename the characters “magical creatures.”
The controversies don’t end there. While promoting Snow White last year, Zegler made a series of offhand comments in which she playfully mocks the original film. She called aspects of the original story “weird” and “dated” and said that the 1937 film’s prince “literally stalks” Snow White. In another 2022 interview, Zegler said “It’s no longer 1937,” so Snow White is “not going to be saved by the prince” and is “not going to be dreaming about true love.” Many TikTokers have expressed exhaustion with Disney’s shallow brand of “girlboss” feminism. One video in particular stated, “Criticizing Disney princesses is not feminist. Not every woman is a leader. Not every woman wants to be a leader. Not every woman wants or craves power. And that’s OK.” However, many commentators have come to Zegler’s defense, alarmed at the level of anger directed toward the actress. “She’s very talented, and she got the role, and your little Tiky-Toky with millions of views is not going to take that away from her,” writer, actor, and content creator Franchesca Ramsey said in a TikTok video. In a later interview, Zegler said it “made me sad” that her comments were taken the way they were, as she only meant to suggest that love is not Snow White’s only goal in the film, clarifying that the remake has an important love story.
Another point of contention surrounding the movie is the political divide between its two lead actresses. Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and former IDF (Israeli Defense Force) soldier who has been vocal in her support for Israel. Meanwhile, Zegler has openly supported the Palestinian cause, sharing posts with phrases like “Free Palestine” and encouraging donations to Palestinian relief efforts. When Disney released the first teaser for the film, some social media users called for a boycott due to Gadot’s involvement, with critics arguing that her casting was inappropriate given the ongoing conflict. However, others have defended her, pointing out that she is a well-established actress with a history of working on major Hollywood projects. The contrast between Gadot and Zegler’s public stances has further fueled online debate, adding yet another layer of controversy to the film.
Finally, the release of Snow White has reignited discussion about whether Disney should still be remaking beloved classics at all, rather than let them stand on their own. Some people have called the company lazy for continuing to go back to the original movies instead of producing new material. One writer for Forbes called the remakes “millennial nostalgia-bait,” and, overall, live-action versions of classics have not been well-received.
Watch the Disney remake in theaters on March 21, 2025, to find out if this film will truly be the fairest of them all.
Sources:
https://www.kqed.org/arts/13962567/disneys-snow-white-reasons-for-controversy-woke-dwarfism-racism
https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2024/09/05/snow-white-controversies-explained-disney/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/snow-white-film-faces-anti-israel-boycott-calls-targeting-gal-gadot/
