Disney has seen tons of success with their string of live-action remakes/adaptations. The 10 that have been released since 2010 have grossed over $7 billion worldwide, $10 billion if you start in 1994. Up next for the studio is Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot.
While there are some people who are excited and some who are not, there is another group of immature people slamming Zegler for comments she made on Walt Disney’s original animated film, which are being taken completely out of context. So let’s go over what she said and i’ll give my overall thoughts on her comments.
Comment 1: In an interview with Vanity Fair, Zegler criticized the “jokes” that were being made about the film’s modern updates, including her casting in the role of Snow White as a Latina, and addressed the film’s approach, saying: “People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it’s like, yeah, it is—because it needed that. It’s an 85-year-old cartoon, and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond “Someday My Prince Will Come”.
Thoughts: It is an 85-year-old cartoon and Snow White has been retold numerous times for decades. You see people call for new original ideas (which Disney continues to do) yet when a remake is announced and Disney wants to do something new, those same people are up in arms that Disney doesn’t keep everything the same as the original. Pick a struggle, people.
Comment 2: “I mean, you know, 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! Weird. We didn’t do that this time… We have a different approach to what I’m sure a lot of people will assume is a love story just because we cast a guy in the movie, Andrew Burnap, great dude. It’s one of those things that I think everyone’s going to have their assumptions about what it’s going to be, but it’s really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful.”
Thoughts: Again, this movie came out in 1937, and we are in 2023, Snow White is a product of its time, That doesn’t mean it’s bad and that doesn’t mean Rachel Zegler hates the original movie, which people have begun stating, something Zegler never said. That said, Zegler is doing a job and her job is to portray the character Disney hired to do. She does not need to love the original, but then again, she loves the character of Snow White so seeing people make up nonsense that she hates the original movie is quite insane. Robert Pattinson has said in the past he isn’t fond of Twilight, and Harrison Ford has talked smack on Star Wars for decades, where was the uproar there?
A friend of The DisInsider, Dave Lee said it best when interviewed by Newsweek:
“The original Snow White absolutely upholds outdated values, depictions and stereotypes of gender and dwarfism, but it is also a “story ripe for reassessment and reinvention. If not, what are these live-action remakes for? Why do we need to tell the same story again and again if we don’t change, adapt and reflect? [I’m] glad to see the strong-willed, courageous woman at the forefront is so passionate about it as well. It doesn’t matter if Zegler loves the old story or not. What matters is her devotion to making the best possible story for 2024. Walt’s original masterpiece can still be loved and appreciated for what it was nearly 90 years ago.”
Dave Lee
Why Rachel Zegler was cast as Snow White?
Take Rachel Zegler’s comments on the original movie aside now, there have been a number of people complaining about her casting, Why? You know why, she is not 100% white, she is a white Latina, and for some weird reason that rattles people’s cages. Yes, Snow White is a Grimm fairy tale that is set in Germany; However, nowhere in the original fairy tale or even Disney’s animated version is her ethnicity or background mentioned. Instead, it focuses on the character’s beauty, her relationship with the evil queen, and her interactions with the dwarfs and other characters in the tale. Ethnicity is not a significant element of the story in the way it is in some more modern adaptations or retellings. So to comment on one’s ethnicity/background in a mythological story with mythological characters is laughable.
It’s important to remember that casting choices can be subjective and depend on the creative vision of the filmmakers. Ultimately, the success of a casting decision can be judged when the film is released and the audience has the opportunity to see the actor’s performance in the context of the story. If Rachel Zegler has been chosen to portray Snow White, it’s likely that the casting directors and filmmakers believed she has the talent and qualities necessary to bring the character to life in their adaptation.
It should also be noted, a test screening for Snow White did take place and from what we were told, those in attendance loved Zegler’s performance. This is a wait and see moment, not a moment to judge what we see from set photos and interviews that have been taken out of complete context.
At the end of the day, if somebody isn’t excited about this film, that is totally fine; However, that doesn’t give anyone any right to berate an actress who was hired to do a job. I have seen disgusting comments about her race, her attitude, and even death threats thrown her way, which is all complete bullshit [excuse my French]. Is it too much to ask for a little bit of decency in this wild world we live in?
Directed by Marc Webb, the film will expand upon the 1937 film’s story and music and will feature new songs by songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land and The Greatest Showman). An interesting addition is Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen will sing and dance, a departure from the 1937 animated classic. Another new addition is the appearance of a younger Snow White, meaning we will get some flashback sequences or an origin for the character. Also set to star is Andrew Burnap, who is playing the new character Jonathan, and Martin Klebba, who has been in all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, plays Grumpy
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