Snow White

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Typically, studios prefer to stay silent about issues related to their projects, but Disney is showing a level of wisdom in handling its upcoming live-action version of Snow White. Ever since the project was initially announced, it has been at the heart of numerous discussions and debates. The controversy surrounding the film’s leading actresses, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has only added fuel to the fire. Since attempts to quiet the negative buzz seem futile, Disney has made a bold move by choosing not to follow the traditional Hollywood route for the film’s premiere.

According to Variety, although the movie will have its Hollywood premiere on March 15 as scheduled, it won’t include the usual grandeur associated with such a high-profile film. Instead, the event will feature a pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre, where Zegler and Gadot are expected to attend. However, unlike traditional premieres, there will be no red-carpet press interviews, and only a select number of photographers and crew will be present for the occasion. Disney is only arranging coverage for them.

Although Disney hasn’t explicitly explained why the scale of the Hollywood premiere has been reduced, it’s fairly clear they wish to limit the number of interviews related to the movie due to strategic reasons.

A significant amount of controversy arose once Zegler was chosen to play the main character, leading to unwarranted criticism from some Disney fans who were critical about a Latina actress assuming the role. To counter this negativity, the actress addressed the toxicity by labeling the 1937 animated film as outdated and went on to say that instead of yearning for true love, her character would aspire to become the leader she believes she can be. She also pointed out that in the original movie, the prince pursues Snow White relentlessly, and unfortunately, Zegler’s response did not put an end to the complaints.

The Live-Action ‘Snow White’ Has Seen Controversy Since it was Announced

The role of politics is evident in the recent controversy. Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress, expressed her views on Hamas attacks on October 7th through her social media platforms, which garnered criticism. Known for her strong opinions about Israel and its conflicts, this stance was expected from her. Conversely, Zegler has advocated for “free Palestine” online. This has sparked speculation that their contrasting political views may have caused a rift between them, a topic likely to be the focus of media inquiries if the premiere had proceeded as usual.

As a supporter, I find myself in agreement with Peter Dinklage’s concerns about the portrayal of little people in the movie. During his interview on the WTF With Mark Maron podcast, he rightly questioned Disney’s decision to maintain negative stereotypes in their adaptation. He pointed out that while Disney was commendable for casting a Latina as Snow White, they should also consider the implications of retelling Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a story that has historically been problematic in its representation of little people. After his remarks, Disney responded swiftly by acknowledging his valid points and promising to carefully reconsider their approach to this classic tale.

To ensure that our representation of the seven characters does not perpetuate stereotypes from the original movie, we’ve opted for a fresh perspective in collaboration with individuals from the dwarfism community.

It’s yet unclear if these events will impact the film’s box office earnings, but initial predictions for its opening weekend are not particularly optimistic. If critics rave about it, Disney could still secure another box office success amidst the production turmoil. Some projects seem to be impervious to controversies, and the popularity of the story might draw audiences regardless of the negative buzz surrounding it. However, one thing that is indisputable is that Disney is fully conscious of the numerous challenges at hand.

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2025-03-11 20:01