Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Snow White, featuring Rachel Zegler in the lead role, has faced a prolonged, overwrought and dramatic backlash. Many fans and critics often criticize Disney’s live-action remakes, considering them as money-making ventures that can’t match the original animated classics. The backlash for Snow White has, however, been on another level.
Disney’s recent remakes like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were easier to adapt, but older classics such as Dumbo, Pinocchio, and now Snow White, pose more significant challenges due to their age and changing cultural norms.
Snow White is set to hit screens in March 2024, and the question remains whether the backlash will continue or eventually subside. Let’s delve into the controversies surrounding Snow White:
Casting Backlash
The casting of Rachel Zegler, known for her role in West Side Story, as Snow White led to a racist backlash. Some commentators criticized Zegler’s casting because they believed she wasn’t “pale enough” for the role. Zegler, who is of Colombian and Polish descent, addressed this backlash, noting that Snow White is beloved in Spanish-speaking countries, and she takes pride in playing a Latina princess. This hasn’t been good enough for racist fans, for whom the change disrespects their cultures and they have taken every opportunity to point out that the character is called, “Snow White”.
Dwarf representation
The remake, titled Snow White (not Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), features only one actor with dwarfism, with the other six dwarfs played by non-dwarf actors. This decision stirred criticism, with some questioning why more actors with dwarfism weren’t cast, but prior to this announcement it was already stirring uncomfortable feelings.
Before it was known that there would be very few little people on the film, Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage called the remake a “backwards story” on Marc Maron’s podcast. Dinklage first commended Disney for casting a Latina actress as Snow White, acknowledging it as a positive step. However, he sharply criticized the company for perpetuating what he viewed as outdated stereotypes.
Dinklage expressed his surprise, saying, “I mean no disrespect to anyone, but I found myself quite taken aback. Disney proudly cast a Latino actress as Snow White, which is commendable, but when you examine the broader narrative, it raises questions. It’s perplexing to me. On one hand, you’re embracing progressiveness, but on the other, you’re perpetuating this antiquated tale about seven dwarfs living together in a cave. Have I not used my platform effectively to advocate for change? It appears my voice isn’t resonating loud enough.”
Zegler’s Comments
Rachel Zegler’s offhand comments about the original Snow White animation also stirred controversy. She expressed her initial fear of the original film, said she hadn’t liked it and discussed changes made for the remake, emphasizing that the character wouldn’t be the same passive princess as in 1937. She also humorously suggested that some scenes featuring Prince Charming could be cut. The backlash was immense with websites such as The Daily Mail, warning that it could affect sales and calling Disney’s attempts to modernize its princess as being shallow.
Snow White has been co-written by Greta Gerwig, who is currently smashing records with her version of Barbie in cinemas. The critics argued that not every princess needs to be a “girl boss” and that not all women aspire to leadership or power.
Many others, defended Zegler, saying she was right, and highlighting the disproportionate backlash she received compared to male actors who made similar comments about their films.
David Hand, son of the original 1937 Snow White director, expressed his disapproval of changes made to the story, suggesting that Walt Disney wouldn’t have agreed with them. However, fairytale adaptations have always evolved with the times, and Snow White has been retold in various ways over the years.
The controversies surrounding Disney’s Snow White remake largely revolve, as most controversies these days do, around those who want to maintain society as they perceived it being in the past, and those who want to recognise society’s constantly changing nature and make movies that reflect culture as it is now. It has sparked questions about the role of fairy tales and their place in modern society. Do they still have value, or will changing them to keep them relevant be important to maintain the love they have attracted for hundreds of years?
