'Snow White' remake: What makes new Disney film so controversial
What's the story
Disney's live-action remake of its 1937 animated classic, Snow White, has been embroiled in controversies.
Hitting theaters on Friday, it stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as her wicked stepmother.
The timeline of controversies dates back to 2022 when Zegler slammed the original film at D23, saying, "The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There's a big focus on her 'love story' with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird."
Film remarks
'She's not going to be dreaming about true love'
Further, Zegler said the new film is "not really about the love story at all, which is really wonderful, and whether or not she finds love is anybody's guess."
Gadot also added fuel to the fire by telling Variety the new Snow White was "not going to be saved by the prince."
While this seemed empowering to many, several purists thought the new movie was yet another attempt by Hollywood to make unnecessary changes to classics.
Film response
Zegler's casting has also been criticized
Two years on, Zegler is still sad that people misconstrued her remarks about the original Disney classic.
She clarified, "I believe that women can do anything. But I also believe that they can do everything."
"It can be very upsetting when things get taken out of context or jokes don't land," Zegler added.
Notably, Zegler has also faced criticism for being cast as Snow White, whose skin is described as "white as snow" in the original Disney animation.
Dwarf depiction
Peter Dinklage joined backlash regarding the dwarves' storyline
Emmy-winner Peter Dinklage had also expressed disappointment over the movie's portrayal of the titular "seven dwarves."
On the podcast WTF With Marc Maron, Dinklage said, "There's a lot of hypocrisy going on I've got to say." "They were very proud to cast a Latino actress as Snow White, but you're still telling the story of Snow White And The Seven Dwarves."
He criticized the makers for working on a "backward story of seven dwarves living in a cave."
Political divide
Zegler and Gadot's political views added to the tension
Gadot's casting had sparked controversy over her two-year service in the Israeli army and vocal support for Israel.
Reports of tension between Zegler and Gadot have also emerged, which apparently stem from their opposing political views.
Amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, Zegler has been outspokenly pro-Palestinian, while Gadot has been vocal about calling for the release of Israeli hostages.
Although they appeared together at major promotional events, sources have claimed there is no outright conflict; the pair was never close.