Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White has sparked controversy, largely due to comments made by its lead actress, Rachel Zegler. While her portrayal of the iconic character seeks to offer a modern take, departing significantly from the 1937 animated classic, her remarks about the film have ignited debate.
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Zegler’s controversial remarks about Snow White?
In an interview with Variety, Zegler pointed out how her version of teh classic fairytale is different from the original as it focuses on themes like leadership and self-discovery. The modern version is contrary to the older version which runs on the age-old narrative of a damsel in distress who is waiting for a prince to save her.
She explained to the outlet, “I just mean that it’s no longer 1937, and we absolutely wrote a Snow White that’s not gonna be saved by the prince, and she’s not gonna be dreaming about true love.”
She added, “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true. And so, it’s just a really incredible story for young people everywhere to see themselves in.”
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Why did Zegler’s remarks on Snow White blow up into controversy?
Zegler’s comments on the original version of Snow White went viral where she described the classic tale as outdated. She went ahead to call the prince in the story a “guy who literally stalks her,” as reported by Marca. In a separate interview with ExtraTV, she restated her views about the classic version.
Zegler told the media outlet, “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. So we didn’t do that this time. 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.”
However, her comments resulted in outrage among fans of the original film who viewed her comments as disrespectful towards the classic tale and the legacy created by Disney. They argued that the West Side Story actor’s comments disregard the impact of the original Snow White film which was loved by generations. What particularly angered the fans was her comparison of the prince to that of a stalker.
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Zegler faces backlash for her ethnicity amid Snow White release
Zegler also faced criticism from people because of her ethnicity as she was cast as Snow White. Many objected that she was not fit to play a character that was historically portrayed as pale skin while Zegler is a Latina actress. Talking about the backlash, she revealed that it escalated to a point where people showed up near her residence and hurled profanities at her, as reported by Marca.
She shared, “For being brown. For having brown skin. For playing Snow White. There was a lot of harassment from a certain group of people-they were showing up at my apartment and screaming profanities.”
However, the backlash did not fade Zegler’s excitement about playing the Disney princess. She also expressed how the new version of Snow White aims to restore the heart of teh original tale while also making the story reasonable for the young audience.
She expressed On Good Morning America, “It was the honour of a lifetime. I think every young person dreams about a phone call like that. This one is certainly extra special as a huge Disney fan.” She added, “To get to bring her to life in such a unique way and such a special way, it’s just a beautiful opportunity, and I’m very honoured.”