A photo leak drew the ire of the internet. Disney has now responded to the diversity debate.
The live-action remake of the Disney animated film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” has caused a violent reaction on the Internet. The reason: A leaked photo gave a first impression of the cast, which probably seemed too diverse to some people on the socials. Disney has already reacted to the negative echo on the net.
Disney makes statement on leaked photos
With “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, Disney is producing what is now the 24th live-action remake of one of their in-house animated films. Previously, classics such as “Aladdin” (2019) and “The Lion King” (2019) had returned to the cinemas in a new guise. “Snow White” has a special role in the film studio’s portfolio. Released in 1937, the animated film was company founder Walt Disney’s first feature-length production. The adaptation of the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm became a box-office hit and earned the “Mouse-House” a special Oscar.
Now the classic is being remade in a contemporary way, which required some adjustments. For example, the title role of Snow White is occupied by Rachel Zegler (“Westside Story”), an American actress with Colombian roots. The seven dwarfs have also apparently been adapted to the present day, as indicated by a leaked photo on the “Daily Mail US” Twitter account. It shows that some of the dwarves are played in the People of Color remake.
See the leaked photo of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” here:
The alleged cast photo drew a crowd of racist and sexist reactions on the Internet. Some also complained that the cast was “too politically correct”. Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has previously sparked toxic comments on social media. Here, too, many Internet users were bothered by the fact that the title character, Halle Bailey, was cast by a woman of colour. The controversy surrounding it even resulted in the film flopping at the box office in some Asian countries.
Meanwhile, Disney responded to the negative comments and indicated that the cast in the leaked photo were the stunt doubles for the reshoots. The group withdrew a previous claim that the photo was a fake.
The remake of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is scheduled for release in 2024. Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer”) was hired to direct the film, and Greta Gerwig (“Barbie”) wrote the screenplay. Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”) will also star in the film alongside Rachel Zegler.