All the controversies surrounding the new "Snow White"

The live-action adaptation of Snow White, directed by Marc Webb, has received the same treatment as those films that are hated in advance without an actual reason. Or rather, there is a reason: people are so convinced that their tradition is untouchable that they feel compelled to engage in pointless battles in the name of preserving the world of fiction—the most malleable thing in existence, never static or identical to itself, constantly evolving by its very nature. A similar reaction occurred in 2016 with the female-led version of Ghostbusters, as if a group of women could not even consider being part of such a famous cinematic franchise—yet a mediocre film like Frozen Empire, part of the series’ 2024 revival, is somehow acceptable. Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters received the worst reception ever for a trailer on YouTube, with 617,891 thousand "Dislikes," a level of hostility that Snow White has avoided since dislikes are no longer visible on the platform. However, there are still comments, and they certainly do not make the live-action one of the most anticipated films of the year. Instead, they fuel negativity towards a movie whose controversies began even before production, the moment the cast was announced. A similar situation happened, still within the Disney universe, with the 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. However, people eventually seemed to come around and accept that the protagonist’s skin color—so controversial at first because actress Halle Bailey was neither white nor red-haired like the 1989 Ariel—was ultimately not important (especially considering the film earned a 94% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes). 

The same treatment was reserved for actress Rachel Zegler, who rose to fame with Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story. Of Polish and Colombian descent, she was certainly not an exact replica of the Snow White from Disney’s 1937 animated film, which made her an immediate target for backlash from the moment her casting was announced in June 2021. Right away, the news sparked racist reactions from Disney fans and right-wing extremists, who decided to boycott the film without even having seen it—or before it had even begun production. The uproar grew even louder when Gal Gadot was announced as the Evil Queen. Could Zegler possibly be more beautiful than a former Miss Universe contestant from 2004? Meanwhile, the two stars of the film have taken vastly different stances on the genocide that has unfolded—and continues—along the Gaza Strip. Rachel Zegler has consistently expressed her support for the people of Palestine, while Gal Gadot is a staunch supporter of Israel. The actress even served in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) for two years, and when the teaser trailer for Snow White was released, many users called for a boycott of the film specifically because of her involvement. This stance, however, was not shared by Hollywood, which awarded Gadot a star on the Walk of Fame on March 18, 2025—a ceremony disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who contested the recognition. Their starkly opposing political views reportedly created tension on set, according to insiders, further exacerbated by an age gap that seemed to prevent the two actresses from forming a friendly bond. 

The same treatment was reserved for actress Rachel Zegler, who rose to fame with Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story. Of Polish and Colombian descent, she was certainly not an exact replica of the Snow White from Disney’s 1937 animated film, which made her an immediate target for backlash from the moment her casting was announced in June 2021. Right away, the news sparked racist reactions from Disney fans and right-wing extremists, who decided to boycott the film without even having seen it—or before it had even begun production. The uproar grew even louder when Gal Gadot was announced as the Evil Queen. Could Zegler possibly be more beautiful than a former Miss Universe contestant from 2004? Meanwhile, the two stars of the film have taken vastly different stances on the genocide that has unfolded—and continues—along the Gaza Strip. Rachel Zegler has consistently expressed her support for the people of Palestine, while Gal Gadot is a staunch supporter of Israel. The actress even served in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) for two years, and when the teaser trailer for Snow White was released, many users called for a boycott of the film specifically because of her involvement. This stance, however, was not shared by Hollywood, which awarded Gadot a star on the Walk of Fame on March 18, 2025—a ceremony disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who contested the recognition. Their starkly opposing political views reportedly created tension on set, according to insiders, further exacerbated by an age gap that seemed to prevent the two actresses from forming a friendly bond. 

The attacks against Rachel Zegler continued in 2022, during Variety’s Actors on Actors series when the actress spoke at length about her casting. “Never, not even in a million years, would I have imagined that this could be a possibility for me,” she said in a conversation with Andrew Garfield. “Normally, you don’t see a Latina Snow White, even though the film is hugely popular in Spanish-speaking countries. Blanca Nieves is a massive icon, whether we’re talking about the Disney cartoon, its various iterations, the Grimm fairy tale, or the many stories derived from it. But you don’t see people who look like me playing roles like this. When the announcement was made, it became a trending topic on Twitter for days because people were angry.” The negative comments toward Zegler have not lost their sting or aggression over the years—you only need to check any post about the film three years later to see it. Fueling the outrage was another interview where, during the 2022 D23 Expo, she discussed the differences between the live-action adaptation and the original film, which she considered outdated. “The animated film came out in 1937, and it shows. The main focus was on a love story with a guy who literally stalks Snow White. It’s weird! This time, it will be different. […] The protagonist’s journey is an internal one; she must discover her true self, and along the way, she will meet some truly incredible people.” Her comments were meant to reflect on how to adapt a story for modern times, as is typically done with any retelling. However, the reaction was sheer indignation, similar to when reports surfaced that the prince’s kiss could be considered inappropriate since it involved kissing a sleeping girl who had not given her consent—a statement that was taken out of context and manipulated to stir public outrage.

As time passes, discontent with the live-action adaptation grows, along with the rise of a far-right movement that will lead to the re-election of Donald Trump. In July 2023, Rachel Zegler posted a tweet reopening the debate about her casting, directly addressing the backlash she had received. By 2024, with Trump’s return to the White House, Zegler took to Instagram to share a story expressing her frustration over the election results, standing in solidarity with marginalized communities that would be most affected by the new president’s discriminatory policies. She ended her statement with a comment about Trump and his supporters’ lack of understanding of peace. Though her words were neither aggressive, violent, nor offensive, they triggered yet another backlash from the right wing, with public figures such as journalist and host Megyn Kelly inciting renewed attacks against the actress. In response, Zegler felt compelled to apologize, stating that she had spoken out of emotion. 

The controversy soon spread further, reaching the issue of the Seven Dwarfs, whose mention was removed from the title of Disney’s live-action film. The first person to express skepticism about the project was Peter Dinklage, known for his role in Game of Thrones and who has dwarfism himself. During an appearance on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, he criticized the portrayal of dwarfs in the story, calling the idea of recreating the animated film in live-action distasteful. His remarks prompted Disney to respond in a statement published in The Hollywood Reporter: “To avoid the stereotypes of the original film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have consulted with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more once the film enters production after a long development process.” However, the first leaked image of the Seven Dwarfs did little to ease the controversy. A photo from the set suggested that there was only one actor with dwarfism, while the other six were of different genders and racial backgrounds compared to Disney’s original animated characters, sparking further debate. Disney initially denied the authenticity of the image, only to later confirm that it was, in fact, from the set, though it depicted stand-ins rather than official cast members. In the final version of Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs will be created using CGI. 

Even the film’s production faced several setbacks, including the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes that brought Hollywood to a standstill, delaying its release from March 2024 to 2025. The premiere itself also stirred controversy, even within the film’s cast. To safeguard the project—which is set to debut during one of the least tolerant periods in America (or the world)—Disney opted for a limited screening in Los Angeles on March 15, restricting attendance to photographers and interviewers while excluding journalists. Martin Klebba, an actor with dwarfism who voices Grumpy, expressed his disappointment at the downsized premiere, telling the New York Post: “I am not disappointed in Disney; I am disappointed in the world.” After his comments made headlines and fueled further debate, he clarified to The Hollywood Reporter that the decision was likely made due to societal tensions and the controversies surrounding Rachel Zegler, though he had not been given a direct explanation for Disney’s change of plans.

A source familiar with the situation, however, told People that there had been no change to the film’s release strategy, with a family-friendly afternoon event planned from the start—similar to previous Disney premieres. This explanation is entirely plausible, but given the nearly five years of controversy surrounding the film and the current social climate in America, it is not unreasonable to think that the decision was a calculated one. Now, all that remains is to see how Snow White, directed by Marc Webb, performs at the box office. According to some predictions, the outcome may not be as disastrous as many anticipated. Early positive reviews from preview screenings suggest that the film’s opening weekend could bring in around $45–50 million, with an additional $55 million from international markets, potentially reaching a total of $100 million in its first weekend. Such a result could offer Disney a much-needed sigh of relief after years of poisoned apples along its path, considering the film’s $270 million budget and the hope of avoiding a complete box office flop.