Disney should own Snow White’s character design backlash

Since its announcement back in 2022, Disney's live-action Snow White movie has been controversial, and not just because some fans (myself included) are getting tired of GCI-littered remakes. As Disney's very first princess character design, it's understandable that some fans have strong opinions when it comes to casting, but with heated backlash towards lead actress Rachel Zegler crossing the boundaries of a simple design disagreement, is it time to move on from 1938?

In many ways, Disney's live-action Snow White has been a rollercoaster of controversy, most recently when the UK premiere was cancelled to prevent further backlash against Zelger. Grappling with classic design and modern inclusivity, Disney can't continue to cruise between the two sides – a mindful remake of a 30s film was never going to be easy, but hiding from the backlash only seems to worsen the hate.

Disney’s Snow White | Official Trailer | In Theaters March 21 - YouTube

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Criticisms began when Zegler, who is half-Colombian and half-Polish, was cast in the lead role, as many felt the decision was misjudged given Snow White's original character design. Also divulging from the original film, the redacting of 'Seven Dwarfs' from the film's title has ruffled the feathers of a few film purists. While critics (including actor Peter Dinklage) have suggested the replacement of the 'dwarves' takes away important roles from people of short stature, Disney defended the move stating "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."

According to the Daily Mail, “Disney are already anticipating an anti-woke backlash against Snow White and have reduced the media schedule to just a handful of tightly controlled press events.” While it's understandable that Disney would want to protect its actors from unnecessary hate, the careful tiptoeing around the controversy only seems to fuel the fire. Owning its mindful adaptations to the original is a prime opportunity to rewrite the film's more questionable themes – something that can't happen if Disney continues to toe the line.

For more character design news, check out why critics are wrong about the Snow White remake's "nightmarish" CGI. For a classic Disney palette cleanser take a look at the studio's 12 principles of animation to see how it brings its beloved characters to life.