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Disney will reportedly scale back the Hollywood premiere of its forthcoming live-action remake of Snow White after the film has been hit with controversy over its casting of lead actor Rachel Zegler and the inclusion of the seven dwarfs.
According to Variety, the premiere, which would typically include a large-scale red carpet event with multiple media outlets invited to interview the stars, has reportedly been reduced to only photographers and in-house crew. The Independent has contacted Disney for comment.
The film’s star, West Side Story actor Zegler, first sparked controversy among conservative and right-wing critics in 2023 when she suggested the remake would be more feminist than the original film, which was released in 1937.
Zegler said in an interview: “It’s no longer 1937 . . . She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”
Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, also faced backlash from right-wing voices who were unhappy about the lead fictional character being portrayed by a person of colour.
Further controversy came over Disney’s inclusion of the seven dwarfs in the remake.
Peter Dinklage, the Game of Thrones actor who has dwarfism, said in 2022 that he was surprised Disney was so proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, while “you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Take a step back and look at what you’re doing there.”
He continued: “It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that f***ing backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together?”
Disney responded to Dinklage’s comments at the time, saying it was consulting with the dwarfism community to “avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film”.
The actor’s politics have also attracted further controversy. Israeli actor Gal Gadot, who plays the evil queen in the new movie, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel during its war in Gaza.
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Meanwhile, Donald Trump supporters had criticised Zegler for her reaction to the US president’s re-election when she posted on Instagram about “four years of hatred” he would bring about in America. She later apologised for “contributing to negative discourse”.
The new film, by 500 Days of Summer director Marc Webb, follows Snow White after the wicked queen (Gal Gadot), who is also her mother, orders her murder. Fleeing from the peril, Snow White makes her way into a forest and discovers the seven dwarfs in a cottage.
Speaking in a recent interview with Vogue Mexico, Zegler said that the backlash to the film is due to the “passion” for the original film.
“I interpret people’s sentiments towards this film as passion,” she said. “What an honour to be a part of something that people feel so passionately about. We’re not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us and all we can do is our best.”
Publicity plans for the movie have already seen Gadot and Zegler presenting at the Oscars together, while Zegler has made promotional appearances with fans in Tokyo. The pair are expected to visit Spain to promote the movie and will host a screening in New York City.
