Snow White is currently Disney’s most talked-about film project to date. The movie has faced continuous backlash for various reasons, such as the casting of Rachel Zegler, who has a darker skin tone for the role of Snow White, the less appealing depiction of the character compared to the Evil Queen played by Gal Gadot, and the overall direction taken in the adaptation. Recently, the 2001-born actress has stirred up controversy by revealing additional details that deviate from the original story of the film.
In a recent interview with Variety, Rachel Zegler addressed the ongoing criticisms surrounding Snow White, particularly regarding the character’s skin tone. According to the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the name Snow White is derived from her “skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony, and lips as red as blood.” However, Zegler revealed that Disney plans to create a different source of inspiration for the princess. The West Side Story star stated: “This will be a different version of Snow White in the narrative where she has survived after a devastating snowstorm as a child. Therefore, the king and queen decided to name her Snow White to remind them of their beloved daughter.”
“One of the key points in our film is that every woman or human being should embrace their true strength,” she added. Zegler’s reasoning has fueled further debate on social media. Many comments criticized: “Disney is bending the original story to suit the representation of the actress.” “Why not cast a fair-skinned actress according to the original tale?” “At my age, I feel offended after reading this piece Snow Storm.” Others remarked: “Lack of respect for the original character’s portrayal should be condemned,” “Why not name her Snowflake instead? It fits perfectly with Disney’s current trend.”
Previously, Rachel Zegler has made several shocking statements, drawing significant backlash from netizens when referring to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – the film that won multiple Academy Awards in 1937 – as a “mistake” when discussing how the princess was portrayed in the story.
