All Of The Controversies Around The Live-Action 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' Remake

It's unclear whether Disney actually did consult with members of the dwarfism community when deciding how to depict the seven dwarfs. But when the news broke that the studio had decided to use CGI and voice actors to portray the dwarfs - now described as “magical creatures” - rather than cast actors with dwarfism, backlash was swift. As Ali Chapman, an actor who is a member of the dwarfism community told TMZ:

It’s a movie that’s supposed to have real dwarves. Instead, Disney chose to use CGI to replace actors and actresses that are little people that are very talented. Disney had the great opportunity to cast very talented actors like ourselves. They missed the boat. That’s seven roles right there. Seven little people that could’ve filled those roles, and unfortunately we were shut out of that opportunity.

Chapman's actor husband Matt McCarthy, who also has dwarfism, stated:

All the little people out there that are freaking actors and actresses that love to have parts in this kind of movie, and everyone’s trying to get their dreams come true, and it just seems like we’re getting our dreams shut out by Disney and Hollywood.

Choon Tan, another actor who is a little person, told the Daily Mail (U.K.):

I think Disney is trying too hard to be politically correct, but in doing so it’s damaging our careers and opportunities. There really is nothing wrong about casting someone with dwarfism as a dwarf in any given opportunity. As long as we are treated equally and with respect, we’re usually more than happy to take on any acting roles that are suitable for us. Plus, it’s also an opportunity for young children to see someone with dwarfism, which they may have never seen before… They wouldn’t use CGI for a tall character, so why do they have to use it for dwarfs?

I personally feel discriminated against as everyone should be given an equal opportunity. This decision could have a domino effect onto other productions and opportunities as this initially started with Peter Dinklage saying that dwarves shouldn’t be cast for these particular roles. There aren’t many roles that are suitable for us, so this just makes it harder for our acting opportunities and careers as a whole. 

Peter Dinklage has made it a point over the course of his career to not accept any acting roles that he believes perpetuates stereotypes of little people. When the Emmy-winning actor, who has dwarfism, appeared on the January 24, 2022 episode of the WTF Podcast with Marc Maron, he expressed his disgust over Disney's planned depiction of the characters with dwarfism in its live-action Snow White remake:

I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White. 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. It makes no sense to me. You’re progressive in one way and you’re still making that f*cking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f*ck are you doing man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.

In response to the actor's criticism, Disney quickly put out a statement about how it hoped to depict Snow White's seven companions in the reboot:

To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period.

While Rachel Zegler being a Latina actress was an issue with some fans of the original film, so were some of the comments she made when comparing the reboot to the 1937 animated classic. During an interview with Extra TV during D23 Expo 2022, Zegler remarked that in the original film,

There's a big focus on her love story, with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird. Weird. So we didn't do that [in the reboot]. 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… But it's really not about the love story at all, which is really, really wonderful… It's an inner journey that she goes on to find her true self, and she meets a lot of people along the way that make the journey really incredible.

In an interview with Variety at the same event, Zegler and co-star Gal Gadot both emphasized that it was “no longer 1937” and that the reboot would be different from the original film in that this version of Snow White “will not be saved by the prince” and would not be dreaming of “true love.” Instead, Zegler claimed: 

[Snow White will be] dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be, and the leader her late father told her she could be if she was ‘fearless, fair, brave, and true.’

And in yet another interview, Zegler called the original film “extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power.”

These comments led to the actor being accused by some of not liking or being disdainful of the classic animated film, a charge that she denied. As she told Variety in 2024:

In all honesty, it made me sad that it was taken in such a way, because I believe that women can do anything. But I also believe that they can do everything. I would never want to box someone in and say, ‘If you want love, then you can’t work.’ Or ‘If you want to work, then you can’t have a family.’ It’s not true. It’s never been true. It can be very upsetting when things get taken out of context or jokes don’t land. The love story is very integral. A lot of people wrote that we weren’t doing [that storyline] anymore - we were always doing that; it just wasn’t what we were talking about on that day.

When Rachel Zegler, who is part-Colombian, was cast to play Snow White in this reboot, the announcement was met with criticism from those who didn't want a Latina actress to portray a character whose skin was described as being “white as snow.” While defending her casting, the actor, who won a Golden Globe for her film debut playing Maria in the remake of West Side Story (2011), admitted that she had been surprised by Disney's decision:

Never in a million years did I imagine that this would be a possibility for me. You don’t normally see Snow Whites that are of Latin descent. Even though Snow White is really a big deal in Spanish-speaking countries. Blanca Nieves is a huge icon whether you’re talking about the Disney cartoon or just different iterations and the Grimm fairy tale and all the stories that come with it. But you don’t particularly see people who look like me or are me playing roles like that.

She also talked about the backlash to her casting, saying:

When it was announced, it was a huge thing that was trending on Twitter for days, because all of the people were angry. We need to love them in the right direction. At the end of the day, I have a job to do that I’m really excited to do. I get to be a Latina princess.

In an October 2024 interview with Variety, she explained how the reboot addresses the origin of her character's name:

It fell back to another version of ‘Snow White’ that was told in history, where she survived a snowstorm that occurred when she was a baby. And so the king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind her of her resilience.

While many big budget studio films get elaborate premieres, the multiple controversies surrounding the Snow White reboot led Disney to change its plans for the film's March 15, 2025 screening. While stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot attended the pre-party and screening at Hollywood's El Capitan Theater, none of the usual media outlets were allowed to interview the film's cast or creative personnel; instead, only photographers and a house crew were allowed on the red carpet.

Still, the studio did market the film pretty heavily in the weeks before this screening; Zegler and Gadot presented together at the Oscars, both actors were sent out on press junkets both in the United States and abroad, and billboards advertising the film have popped up in Los Angeles and other cities.

Snow White star Rachel Zegler has received backlash both for her dislike of the current US president and for her support of Palestine. After Donald Trump was elected US President in November 2024, the actor posted her thoughts on her Instagram. They referred to a “deep, deep sickness” in the United States that was shown by the sheer number of people who supported Trump and stated (in part):

I find myself speechless in the midst of this. Another four years of hatred, leaning us towards a world I do not want to live in… May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace. 

This post made the actor the target of pro-Trump supporters such as former Fox news host Megyn Kelly, who called Zegler “a pig” and suggested that Disney would have to re-cast the role of Snow White. Zegler quickly apologized for her comments in another Instagram post. That one stated (in part):

Hatred and anger have caused us to move further and further away from peace and understanding, and I am sorry I contributed to the negative discourse… I firmly believe that everyone has the right to their opinion, even when it differs from my own…

However, Zegler stood by her comments on another divisive political topic. In August 2024 she posted a thank you to fans on X after the release of the Snow White trailer. But it was the last line of her post - “And always remember, free Palestine” - that drew the most attention, with Newsweek suggesting that her stance on Palestine put the actor on a "collision course" with Snow White co-star Gal Gadot, who had served in the Israel Defense Forces prior to getting her big break as an actor.

In November 2024 Zegler told Variety:

I can’t watch children die. I don’t think that should be a hot take. I’m only responsible for what I feel. And then I’m also responsible for how I act upon it… I’ve been following this conflict for so many years. Like so many people, I’m so heartbroken by the loss of life that we’re seeing with these insane death tolls coming out of both regions.

I don’t have the answers. I don’t think any celebrity making a political statement has the answers. But we have the platform to share a donation link to make sure that these people get the money, the care, and the aid that they need that people in power aren’t giving them. If that means that it can fall upon us to be in power in a way that is helpful, then I’m happy to do it.