Does Disney’s new Snow White live-action remake stand a chance amid the backlash?
From racist tirades over Rachel Zegler’s casting to anger over the dwarves, Snow White’s fate is uncertain as it hits cinemas this month
Almost from the beginning, Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White became a political lightning rod.
First, it was the racist backlash to the casting of actor Rachel Zegler, who is of Colombian descent on her mother’s side, as the titular character who canonically had “skin as white as snow”.
Then diehard fans got up in arms about Zegler’s comments that the story would be updated for modern times, putting less emphasis on Snow White’s dreams of Prince Charming. The royal love interest “literally stalks” the princess in the original 1937 animated film, she said.
Along the way, producers have also faced questions about its depiction of the seven dwarves and its leading actresses’ viewpoints on the Israel-Gaza war. Zegler has been an outspoken advocate for Palestinians, while Gal Gadot, who plays the evil queen, has voiced support for Israel, where she was born and served the mandatory two years in the Israeli army.
Disney is even scaling back the premiere of the film this weekend in Los Angeles, with a significantly smaller media presence planned than previously, according to reports.